Idlewild -- Logs

After Linden's morning tour and its unsettling end, the group is left alone to settle into their new quarters for hours. Lunch arrives magically and silently, a repeat of breakfast in stealth but more along the lines of an elven deli in content-- elves have clearly either discovered the sandwich, or invented it in the first place. One of the sauces even turns out to be horseradish, and one of the meats, cow. Clairchiare shows up around then and politely informs everyone that they don't have a dinner engagement with the court until they're properly introduced in a few more days, so they will be served in their rooms. He then takes Seodil politely but firmly into the latter's room and the door closes. They do not reemerge until dinner appears-- roast meat, steamed vegetables and salad greens, wine, cheese. The pink-haired elf apparently cannot stay, and nearly dashes off, saying he'll be late if he doesn't hurry. Seodil wanders blandly over to drape himself across a couch and munch on a handful of carrots, regarding the others gathered for dinner with a mild gaze.

Steven takes up a slection for dinner, saying, "Does it strike the rest of you as kind of odd that we're rushed here... and then told to wait a few more days?

Aiden nods at Steven, "It does strike me as odd, yes. I was wondering the same thing myself. They certainly did seem to want us here right away."

Sol looks thoughtful. "Yes, actually. Now that you mention it. Unless the rush was not for what we think."

Aiden glances at Seodil as he comes back in. He's curious, it shows in his eyes, but he's also not going to pry. If it was important, Seodil would have said something, surely.

Aiden raises an eyebrow at Sol. "An opportunity to slip us in unnoticed that would have passed by if they hadn't moved us immediately?"

Steven says, "If that's true, it failed, didn't it, with Clairchiare's.. uh, little gathering last night?"

Seodil says calmly, "I believe I have a game to play for us all that relates to this question, which interests me as well."

Steven looks at Seodil curiously. "A... game?"

Sol nods at Aiden, then looks frustrated as Steven speaks. "Damn it all, you both have points that contradict... and I don't know which to pick."

Seodil actually winks at Steven. "Yes. It is called 'what's unusual.' You isolate the true meaning of hidden things by keeping count of what you can see, that does not fit what you know of the apparent circumstances."

Aiden says, "They may not contradict. Maybe there were specific persons who our arrival was to be concealed from. That wouldn't prevent Clairchiare's party." He glaces at Seodil, thoughtful..

Steven looks apologetically to Soleil, and looks (not without a touch of wriness) at Seodil and nods. "All right. Sounds like a good game to play...."

The silver elf says dryly "It does work better when fewer things are unusual, but one must use what one has." He grins a little.

Sol nods at Aiden, "Persons in the city, maybe?"

Aiden nods at Sol. "Or people who were going to the city from here, maybe." He turns back to Seodil. "There's a lot unusual here, especially for Steven and I, but I suspect that there's some things that stick out more than others."

Steven says, "All right. So, how do we play this game? Just rattle off things that are unusual?"

Seodil bites the tip off a long carrot with a sharp crack, and swallows before answering. "I suggest that we all try to find out who is normally at court but has just left, and when they are due back. That might answer our question about the rush." He nods at Steven. "Yes. I will begin. There was no one at that party who seemed to be any older than I am, and most were not even close to my age. A party of children. Why?"

Steven blinks. "Should we start trying to answer questions, or just list unusual things?

Aiden says, "There might have been one older than you, or close. Clairchiare did say that Rathskeliad was older.. Though I'm honestly not sure if that meant older than him, or the oldest one there."

Steven says, "They seemed to be all friends of Clairchiare...."

Seodil looks apologetic. "List or answer, whichever seems more fruitful-- I did not mean to distract you from your own thoughts. It seems to be working well now to discuss them as they come, however, so I wish to continue that where possible... I did not know that, Aiden, and yes, Steven, they did. That may be significant."

Steven says, "But there were a lot of them. Far too many to keep our arrival a secret...."

Sol says a little impatiently, "But it was Clairchiare's party. Of course they were all his friends."

Aiden frowns, apparently staring into empty space while he gathers his thoughts. "So. We were rushed here, only to wait. Then, we're taken to a party that has, as far as we can tell, no one even close to Seodil's age. Also, maybe it was just an oversight, but no one taught us to use the doors here at all.."

Seodil raises an eyebrow at Sol. "Does that mean he has no adult friends?"

Aiden glances at Seodil. "I doubt that, they probably just weren't invited. How old is the Princess? Same age group, roughly?"

Sol wilts a little and looks at Steven. "I agree, Steven. It can't be a secret that we're here-- from anyone also here. Which leaves people who're absent as the people we might be hidden from."

Steven says, "So how do we go about finding who's absent from the court?"

Seodil looks faintly-- nostalgic? surely not-- and says, "Aiden, the Princess is a year and one day younger than I."

Steven has a vague remembrance that the old adage of 'a year and a day' has some special significance. "Is... that important, Seodil?" he asks. "I mean.. that she's that specific amount younger than you."

Sol grins at Steven and says, "Make friends with the younger crowd and get the gossip. Didn't you have a fire-haired admirer?"

Aiden nods at Seodil. "Thanks. I'm inclined to agree that we're hidden from someone who isn't here, rather than someone who is. Other members of her family, maybe?"

Seodil turns to Steven and looks wistful before he covers it. "That timeframe is the usual one for a handfasting, Steven, but we were much too young to think-- no, I don't think it's important to anyone anymore."

Steven blushes a bit. "'Admirer' she may have been but frankly she scared me."

Sol giggles and hops off the arm of Steven's couch to poke him in the ribs. "Do your duty for your Prince and I'll give you a fancy title, Steven. C'mon. How bad can it be?" He looks terribly amused.

Seodil recovers his usual face and nods at Aiden, "Of the Princess' family? Perhaps... or anyone powerful. I only think we have to worry about the powerful absences."

Steven blinks to Seodil for a moment, then nods a bit. "All right." He won't make any more mention of it. Besides, some sort of alarms are going off in Steven's mind at Soleil's request. He winces a bit at the poke. "Well, I'll.. do my best. I'll talk with whomever will speak with us.

Aiden frowns, "Would they be trying to hide your return, Seodil? I don't think it's likely.. Clairchiare didn't know until he arrived in the city and met up with us." He nods at Seodil's words. "Powerful absences should be a bit easier to track down. But, where do we start? I wouldn't know a powerful absence unless the name was pointed out to me as being such."

The silver elf adds to Aiden, "With regards to the doors, before I forget-- Clairchiare has our keeping, as liason, but I attribute his failure to tell us how to use the local magic as an oversight. There seems to be no malice in him, and I have been looking. I did not in fact finish my apology to him, at the cathouse. He apologized to me."

Sol grins, "Steven's friend is an enormous gossip. I had her pointed out to me while I was mingling... she'll know who's got the power, I bet you."

Aiden's eyebrows go up just slightly. "Linden said something about him being the only nice person here, or the nicest person here."

Aiden grins at Sol. "If she knows who's got the power, she'll know which of them is missing, too."

Steven taps his chin, and nods a little. "She seems very... extroverted." Almost militantly extroverted, in fact. Which is probably why Lindenel seems nicer... and yet.... He shakes his head a bit. "But it was Clairchiare who pushed to have us come here so quickly, as well.

Sol winks at Aiden. "And all we have to do is let her eat Steven."

Aiden frowns. "He was. What's the likelyhood that he's trying to hide us from his own family?"

Steven blinks. "That doesn't sound like something Steven might like."

Seodil's eyebrows rise sharply at Aiden's words, and he says something soft and foreign and nasty, before saying, "We need to find out if his mother is here, yes."

Sol laughs wickedly and pokes Steven again before saying in suggestive tones, "Oh, Steven, but you might." He seems to find it very funny.

Aiden nods at Seodil. "Would he tell you if you just asked? Not if he's hiding us from her, but if she's here.."

Seodil sighs. "Yes, I believe he would."

The silver elf adds reluctantly, "But he might then hope to reconcile us. Could someone else ask, please?"

Steven considers, then nods. "How would be the best way to ask, without coming accross that we're suspecting something?"

Sol says suddenly, "Who is Lindenel's betrothed? Did she ever say?"

Seodil flashes Steven a grateful look and says, "You could inquire politely about her health?"

Steven says, ".. You know, we've suspected Rathskeliad, but we were never told directly."

Something unspoken in the air suggests strongly that Seodil cannot inquire about her health and have it seem polite.

Steven nods to Seodil, smiling. "That'd be good. "Good morning, Clairchiare, how are you today? Though we haven't met them, I hope your family is well?' Something like that?

Seodil nods to Steven, once. "Perfect."

Sol says triumphantly, "Exactly. She never has said. I think that is unusual. The Betrothed Who Isn't There."

Aiden nods at Sol. "She's never mentioned him by name, nor has anyone else. I'm assuming that it's Rathskeliad, but that's nothing more than an assumption. Whoever it is, she really does seem to be quite.. scared of him.

Seodil looks thoughtful. "And Clairchiare is 'the only nice person.' Hm. I think we should speak further with Lindenel about more than one thing. She seems terrified of me... volunteers?"

Steven nods quietly. "Things we need to find out: Who isn't at COurt? Where is Clairchiare's mother or family? And who is Lindenel's betrothed. Should wwe keep looking at what's unusual?

Seodil says gravely to Steven, "An excellent summary, and I have only one more thing to add-- were those at Clairchiare's party all indeed young? I even have a way to do it, that ties in with that family question for Clairchiare, as he has never spoken of a father and it cannot be mine."

Steven says, "I'm more than comfortable with trying to talk to Lindenel." He looks to Seodil. "How would we ask about that?"

Sol nods, looking at Aiden. "She seems terrified. I wonder if I should be, too. Rathskeliad made me uncomfortable, but not terrified..."

Seodil looks at Steven, "Good. Ask about which?"

Aiden nods, "I'd volunteer to talk to her, but she doesn't react very well to me. Steven, if you want to speak with her, I can speak with Clairchiare. I hate to lump all of these conversations on you."

Steven says, "Asking about why it seemed like all the people at that party were young." he nods to Aiden. "Thanks, Aiden. I'm nto the best conversationalist."

Aiden looks at Sol with a frown, "Rathskeliad makes me very nervous, despite Clairechiare's nonchalant reactions to him."

Seodil grins, a brief thing. "We do not have to ask about that, Steven-- all we need is library access."

Aiden nods at Steven. "She reacts well to you, better than she reacts to any of us." He looks at Seodil. "I can ask about that when I talk to him next. Tell him I'm bored and looking for something to read, maybe?"

Seodil nods to Aiden, "That might work. Or it might be more politic to express an interest in the history of the court, or a book with more detailed gardening reference after our tour."

Aiden grins, "Good thought. I'll speak with him about it when I see him next. Erm, when I'm not in the middle of something, that is, look a little odd to tell him I'm after something to read if I'm in the middle of doing something else."

Seodil looks pleased, glancing around the little group. "I think that we have our tasks for tomorrow. I have already obtained a list of names from the party; Clairchiare was delighted I wished to learn them all. Armed with that, whoever gets access to the library can use the family names to uncover their ages in the book of lineages... that will list everyone alive who hailed from this Court, and their birthdates." He pauses and says, "...Possibly with the sole exception of myself. Don't bother looking for me. I will not be listed there."

Steven nods a little.

Aiden nods at Seodil. "Alright. At least that gives us something to do while we cool our heels here."

Seodil nods, and adds "Clairchiare's father should, however, the possession of which name may ease Steven's work for gossip."

Rising, the silver elf says "Now, I am going to sleep. I shall see you in the morning. Would anyone like the list now?"

Aiden shakes his head, "I'll get it from you once I've talked to Clairchiare. Goodnight, Seodil."

Seodil smiles at Aiden before turning to enter his bedroom. He does not make eye contact with anyone else.

Steven says, "Good night, Seodil...."

Aiden says, "I hope that this starts making sense. I get the feeling its all connected somehow, but.. Just don't have enough of the puzzle to see the picture yet."

Sol yawns, stands, and starts taking off his clothes, tossing them on the couch.

Steven nods to Aiden. "It's very confusing. It's like a jigsaw puzzle witha few pieces missing." he shakes his head. "I suppose we came into this knowing we were, somewhat, pawns."

Soleil walks a few steps to the sunken hot soak pool and steps off, splashing the surroundings just a bit, though not quite reaching his companions.

From the water, the amber elf says, "I'd rather be a pawn than a king, frankly," and smiles.

Aiden isn't looking at Steven when he answers him, too busy watching Sol, the corner of his mouth turned up slightly. "Exactly like that. We did come in as pawns, I could have sworn, though, that the original intention was for us to stay a few days in the city. I'd very much like to know what changed."

Steven says, "Maybe they weren;'t expecting us so quickly? We did arrive... in an unusual manner."

Indistinctly, Sol mutters, "Or the city complained about the shedding."

Aiden frowns, "They got Clairchiare to us fast enough. We'd been there less than half an hour."

Steven says, "Very fast. How did they know we had arrived? We should put that on the list of unusual things."

Aiden nods at Steven. "I'm adding it to my mental list, and I'll mention it to Seodil as well. They knew where we were, they got the bird to us. They probably didn't expect Frangipani to get us to the city any more than we did, so they should have known we were several days off. It plays into the same questions as why we were rushed in. If they expect us to be in the city at a certain date, they probably thought we'd miss whoever it is that we're hidden from."

Aiden adds, "Clairchiare might've been there seeing that person off."

Steven nods, "He definitely didn't come from the court unless they did to him what Frangipani did to us."

Aiden grins at Steven, "So, either they expected us at that time, or he was already there."

Steven says, "But for all we know, they did... which would add to the importance of them getting hold of us quickly. Plus, they had us spend the night at the Topaz."

Sol flips onto his back, floats, and gives Aiden's general direction a saucy grin. "Yeah, he's probably not that fast on his own. His brother isn't."

Steven says, "Eitehr way, you're right, Aiden. They wanted to get hold of us very badly and very quickly."

Aiden says, "She said "a small delay" in her note. I expected that to be longer than a day or two. Something changed."

Aiden nods at Steven again. "I still think it has something to do with the timing. I think we had a narrow miss. Clairchiare might've been in town seeing that person off, or waiting for them to arrive from the palace to the city. If they were intent on staying at the Topaz as well, he would've had to move us quickly."

Aiden says, "If that's the case, it's someone who would recognise either Soleil, or Seodil."

Steven nods, "Either way, Clairchiare being in the city is not a coincidence."

Aiden nods, "Not at all. Let's see what our research digs up, hmm?"

Steven nods, "In the meantime, let's get some sleep. Tomorrow we'll start digging, we have a couple of days at most before we're introduced to the court.

Aiden says, "Sure thing, Steven. Have a good night. I'll see you in the morning."

Steven nods, as he heads for his alcove. "Good night, Sol, Aiden."

In the pool, Sol splashes idly toward Aiden, not strong enough to reach, and grins "Good night, Steven. Get your rest, gossip hunter. You might need it."

Steven winces at Sol's parting shot.

Morning finds Steven later than usual, by the feel of it. Voices have just departed the main room... it feels like perhaps nine or ten AM.

Steven frowns. He hardly ever sleeps this late. He misses being woken up by the dawn. Then again, they did talk fairly late into the evening the night before. He stands and speaks the command word to the door, stepping out into the main room.

Someone has already had about a third of it, but plenty of breakfast fruit remains... though one cloth napkin is missing from underneath the spread, as well. Soleil and Aiden's doorway is not closed. Seodil's is.

Steven arches a brow a little. Guess Sol and Aiden are awake and having breakfast in bed. Or something. He settles down at the table, and starts to dig in to a light breakfast, going over what the plans for the day should be. They're not going to be sequestered, that would be rather rude of their hosts.

By the time Steven finishes his breakfast, no living beings have appeared, and no sounds of movement come from the doorway of Aiden & Soleil. From where he sits, Steven cannot see in to be sure they are in fact even home.

Steven considers for a moment, paranoia piqued, and so he stands and walks over to their room, peeking in quietly and discretely.

No one appears to be home in the couple's room. There is no sign of foul play.

Steven frowns, and looks around for the source of the sounds he had heard earlier. "Aiden? Soleil?"

No one answers. Noises come from behind Steven, as of hundreds of tiny feet.

Steven whirls, narrowing his eyes and crouching a bit. The hell...?!

A number of pieces of luggage are trundling in under their own power, on very, very small little wooden feet... four leather-bound trunks, with long flat wooden boxes on top of each. They move not quickly, but with great purpose, to arrange themselves by the couches... and stop. The feet appear to retract.

Steven blinks, slowly, and straightens a little, watching them and waiting for what they'll do next.

They do absolutely nothing, but out of the corner of his eye Steven sees Seodil's door open and close again, and a figure stand framed in it, holding something long in one hand...

Steven looks over to Seodil's doorway. "Seodil? What the heck are these things?"

It is not, in fact, Seodil standing naked in Seodil's doorway. It happens to be Aiden, holding what appears to be the somewhat shredded remains of his new pants in one hand... and it's absolutely impossible to miss the fact that he is, as they say, "sporting one." It looks almost painful-- in addition to being painfully obvious.

Aiden, noticing Steven when he speaks, nearly jumps out of his skin, then artfully folds his pants and drapes them over one arm so they hide certain things, smiles faintly, saying, "Excuse me. I need pants. I'll be right back." Then proceeds to turn on his heel and walk into his own room, shutting the door behind him without so much as a hint of embarrassment. "Well. There's one more for Steven's list of odd things. Shit. Bet he's going to want that explained."

Steven blinks. Maybe I should add that to the list of unusual things. "Uh, sure, Aiden." Wait... he was carrying his pants. Why did he... no. Let's not go there. He goes back to studying the footed furniture curiously.

Aiden comes out of the room a few moments later. He didn't bother with a shirt, but he is at least wearing a pair of pants - his pants from the greyworld - again. He glances around. "What's this?" He motions at the luggage.

Steven says dryly, "I was about to ask Seodil that, actually."

Aiden walks over to the luggage. He was busy when it walked in, so he's not as wary of it as he might've been. He opens a case that's near the top, peering in.

Steven provides, "They had feet."

Aiden looks startled at that, peering at the bottoms of the cases, at least, what he can see..

Nothing peers back at Aiden from inside the box, but there is a gorgeous deep brown crushed velvet cloak lined with bronze satin and caught with a bronze and tiger-eye clasp. The bottoms of the cases and chests look... flat to the floor.

Steven peers in beside Aiden. "Oh.. are those the clothes from the Topaz?

Steven tries to ignore the depth of the chests. He's sure Aiden picked up on it. If Aiden doesn't mention that Steven's seeing things, he won't mention the stepping out of Seodil's room to get a pair of pants when he was carrying his own pants already.

Aiden looks over at Steven and nods, "Yeah, looks like it. Want to give me a hand getting this stuff sorted? I assume that they've already separated the boxes by person." He glances away from the bottoms of the boxes. Steven doesn't strike him as one given over to flights of fancy. The boxes probably did walk themselves in.

Steven nods, "Sure!" and starts to help Aiden sort the chests by person. At some point, though, he does discretely look at the bottom of the chest, though.

Aiden does likewise, when he's sure that Steven isn't watching.

The luggage is easy to sort by intended recipient, by color-- the clothes in bronzes, reds and tiger-eye golds match Steven's current wear, Aiden's have blue-greys mixed in to match his eyes and no reds, Sol's are mostly ambers and golds, and no one but Seodil would have been given nearly all white and grey and ice blue in a court that reveres the summer sun... although at the bottom of each chest is a single white, silver and crystal-bead-encrusted outfit for each of the others.

The chests are heavy enough, however, that looking at the actual bottoms as opposed to the bottom edge of each side would require tipping them on edge-- not a subtle activity.

Aiden moves Seodil's boxes over to the door, set against the wall and to the side so that Seodil isn't likely to trip over them the second he walks out, as tempting as it might be to do just that.

Steven glances over to Aiden, considering.. then decides to check the chest later. "What do you think the white is for?" he asks. "When we're some sort of official representatives of Winter?"

Aiden frowns a little. "Maybe, yes. I can't see any other reason that they'd go with all-white for all of us, unless they wanted us to stick out at a formal occassion."

Aiden adds, under his breath, "Like big walking targets. Great."

Steven nods a little. "Well. After a few days of wearing the same thing, I guess this came at a good time."

Aiden coughs. "Yeah. Great timing." He winces inwardly.

Aiden makes sure that his cases and Sol's end up in the room they're sharing. He hunts around for a closet to hang them in, so it feels at least a little less like they're staying in a hotel.

Steven starts to carry the crates containing his clothes into the room, letting out a breath as he does so. At one point, when he's sure Aiden isn't going to appear anytime soon, he discretely and neatly empties one of the crates, setting the clothing neatly on the bed, and lifts it on its edge to peer at the bottom.

It kicks Steven in the face, squeals indignantly like an angry squirrel, and scuttles off into the corner once free.

Steven yelps! and falls backward, more startled than hurt, staring at the thing as he regains his balance. "Okay, okay, sorry!" Then he blinks. Why did I apologize to the furniture for kicking me.... Wait... the furniture kicked me....

Aiden pokes his head out of his room at the yelp. "Steven? Are you okay?"

Steven's answer is slow in coming. "Aiden. Did you check to see if the chest has feet?"

Aiden glances guiltily at the cases, because he was about to. "No, Steven. You said they had feet.. I believe you."

There is a pause. "Oh. Thank you. Well, just in case you were about to, don't." Another pause. "It doesn't like that."

Aiden is trying very, very hard to keep his voice neutral. "Oh. I won't."

Aiden goes back into his room, leaning his forehead against the wall and laughing silently...

Steven stands, waatching the chest warily as if he expects it to bound after him and start nipping at his heels, and starts looking for a mirror to see if he's got a shiner or not.

There is a mirror, and Steven does bear the trademark puffiness that in his experience heralds a black eye. Of course, the darkening of the area to a nice purple is also a pretty heavy clue. The chest does not assault Steven or move out of its corner, despite his wary glances.

Steven sighs miserably. Just what he needs. He glances out. "Anyone have anything for a black eye?" He looks at the chest. "I don't suppose you could help?"

Sounds in the main room announce visitors. The voices sound like Clairchiare and Soleil; they split off in two directions.

Aiden looks over at his backpack, doing a quick mental inventory. "No, Steven, sorry."

The chest lifts its lid briefly to stick out a woody, mahogany tongue briefly and display a row of large birch-white teeth before closing its lid again with a sharp snap.

Steven freezes, blinking at the chest. That's a... fine set of teeth. he figures it might be best to be polite to it just in case it gets hungry. Though he has no idea what it would munch on. "All right, I'm sorry." He starts out of the room, then looks at the rest of the chests. "Are you all... that well-endowed dentally?"

Steven's new furniture ignores him universally.

Steven nods slowly. "Just wondering. Sorry about that." He steps outside the room to try and find something that'll put down a black eye, trying hard not to think of the fact that he's going to be sleeping there that night.

Clairchiare and Seodil emerge from Seodil's room. Both are wearing their pants.

Aiden and Sol's doorway is now opaque and closed.

Steven stops short for a moment, before nodding. "Good morning, both of you."

Seodil nods, smiling and looking not at all debauched. "Good morning, Steven. You might want to put something on that eye."

Clairchiare smiles more brightly-- as usual-- and looks closer at Steven's eyes. "How did this happen, Steven?" He frowns, "Has anyone here treated you ill?" The possibility makes him unhappy-looking and sound very stern indeed.

Steven pauses before answering. "Yes, I.. really would like to put something on it. Any ideas?" He looks to Clairchiare. "Well... erm... it was... an accident, on my part, actually. Accidentally hit one of the chests. ell, that is, it accidentally hit me, I mean."

Clairchiare blinks but appears to adjust to take it in stride. "I... see. I can get you a poultice from the gardens-- I shall have Linden make it, better yet. She is quite good with herbal remedies." He smiles... it wavers. "Ah. Should I... remove the offending piece of furniture for you...?"

Steven smiles quietly, "That would be fine, thank you. I mean, the poultice." he glances at the room. "Er.. no, but thank you. I think when the chest is ready to leave it can remove itself." He winces. "I mean... no need to remove it yet, I don't think it's going to do anything more. Are those.. self-mobile chests all that common?"

Clairchiare gives Steven a look that suggests some doubt for his sanity. "Erm. No."

Steven looks at Clairchiare for a long moment. "Ah... okay." ... He's got to be pulling my leg. They walked in and arranged themselves... Be calm, Steven, be calm.... "Well, then. Ah... thank you for letting me know...."

The pink-haired elf nods a little too quickly and says, "I will be going to get that poultice for you now. I will return as quickly as I can."

Steven nods, "Thank you, Clairchiare... thank you very much." Please don't let me be doubting my own sanity, please don't....

Clairchiare suits deed to word and leaves, and Seodil says philosophically, "I suppose you are not in the mood to spar a little then, while we wait. Aiden and Soleil will not be emerging for the next hour, I expect."

Steven says, "An hour you say?" he glances at the door, then sighs a bit, and shakes his head. "No, sparring sounds fine. it's been a while since I've done my exercises properly.""

Seodil says, "I am quite sure, yes. Ah, splendid. Shall we go to the garden immediately in front of our door?"

Steven nods, "Sure. Lead the way...."

Seodil leads Steven across to a pleasant, spacious enough garden and puts him through his paces quite courteously. It's a surprisingly enjoyable workout and Steven not only feels like he might have learned something, Seodil is perfectly willing to learn when Steven feels like offering a comment-- though the silver elf is very, very good at hand to hand fighting and sparring with sheathed sword against Steven's quarterstaff alike, and there remains little doubt in the monk's mind when they finish that Seodil could take him if he really meant to. They come to a halt when Clairchiare returns with Linden at the end of about an hour, and Seodil bows neatly to Steven with apparent respect-- answering the monk's own formal bow-- before they move back into the common room as a group and sit. Linden offers the poultice to Steven, saying softly that it doesn't look that bad and will be almost gone by morning if he wears this overnight.

Steven smiles gratefully to Linden. "Thank you. I hope so. I felt rather dazed at the time as well, but that seems to have passed, at least." Right, Steven, first you're trying to convince others you're sane, then you'll be trying to convince yourself you are....

Linden smiles softly and says "A hit to the head can do that, of course. I'm glad you feel better."

Clairchiare slips an arm briefly around her shoulders and says proudly, "Linden is awfully good with healing, nearly as good as some who use magic."

Steven smiles and nods, "So am I," he quips. "Than you again for the poultice, I'll keep it on today and tonight.

Aiden opens the door of his room, and wanders out, hair damp. He settles down and smiles at Linden and Clairchiare. "Good afternoon."

Also looking like he's recently showered, Soleil follows close behind Aiden and settles at his feet on the floor, leaning back against Aiden's knees. He doesn't seem to mind that there isn't room on the couches for him.

Clairchiare smiles and says, "I have a thing to attend to, but may I return to join you and Linden here for dinner tonight?"

Linden blinks and says, "Oh, but I'm expected--" in a small voice.

Aiden glances around at the others then looks up at Clairchiare. "I'm sure we'd all welcome the company, Clairchiare."

Clairchiare snorts cheerfully and says, "Oh, I'll bring him then. He's too selfish of you, Linden, charming as I'm sure it is, and you do deserve it--" he beams at Aiden, "Thank you. I shall look forward to it then. Do you mind if I do bring Lindenel's betrothed? He really ought to get out more anyway."

Aiden nods, "Sure. I don't mind. Who should we be expecting?"

Steven is a little surprised at Clairchiare suddenly saying that he and Linden will be here that night. Though he admits he's curious about the betrothed. He lets Aiden answer for them. At 'ought to get out more' he's guessing it's not Rathskleliad, after all.

Linden says more insistantly, still quiet for a normal person, "Clairchiare... Not tonight. He'll say no, even to you. You know how he is when he decides something..."

Clairchiare sighs and says, "I don't know why you put up with it. Very well, Linden... if I can't sway him tonight, how about tomorrow?" He looks at the group. "Would you mind? I apologize for our uncertainty. Oni's a bit of a grump sometimes."

The pink-haired elf adds to Aiden, "Oh, you met him-- my friend Rathskeliad."

Steven blinks. 'Oni.' What my teacher would call ogres. Rathskeliad's nickname. That's... not promising.

Aiden nods, "Ah, right. I remember." He hides whatever his real reaction to that was, then adds. "Well. I can't speak for the others, but, tonight, tomorrow, I don't mind either way."

Clairchiare beams, standing. "Well then. I'll leave Linden to your tender mercies and throw myself on Oni's for awhile to wear him down. If I can't, I'll see you by myself tonight, and bring my favorite couple tomorrow." He sweeps a cheerful bow and heads off.

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