Idlewild -- Logs

The procession of wounded and rescuers and comatose Princesses-- well, just the one-- makes its way back to the guest suite, mostly with the help of the resident elves. Sarete stays with them and settles on the back of a couch after Aiden and Sol have laid Seodil on one, and Zhi has put the Princess on the other. Kip looks vaguely horrified and fascinated in equal proportion. Clairchiare looks seriously out of it.

Now that they're actually back in slightly cleaner confines, Aiden sets about carefully cleaning and rebinding the wounds on Seodil's shoulders.

Lauren watches Aiden work, from a glum cross-legged pile of skirts.

Aiden glances up from his works once he's certain that the wounds are clean and well wrapped. He looks over at the Princess. "Shouldn't someone inform Prince Lyriquin that we found her?"

Seodil is still mostly nonresponsive, but does wince and stir a bit at last. He appears to be coming back out of shock to a better grasp reality.

Steven, in his irritation, has remained in feline form -- it's been so long, and it feels rather nice. it certainly takes some of the edge off of things, slipping into this mindset. He remains near the group, not sleeping or napping, keeping quite alert for any movement or sounds approaching the room. If one could read cats, he would probably be be coming off as fairly sour right niw.

Ghost gives Steven the cat a wide berth and stays close to Lotte, eyeing him.

Steven hears nothing disturbing outside, thankfully. So far there appears to be no pursuit or mobbing.

Zhi looks at Aiden and nods, "I already have. He's on his way."

Lotte slumps down on the floor between Steven and Ghost and closes her eyes wearily.

Lotte opens her eyes and looks at Aiden. "What happened?"

Aiden nods at Zhi. "Good. Maybe he can wake her." Aiden remains sitting where he was to work on Seodil, on the edge of the couch at Seodil's waist. He twitches slightly when Lotte asks what happened. "Seodil was tortured to get information out of me."

Moopy comments somewhat ghoulishly, "Got like two and a half corpses in here, Boss. Sure we wanna sleep here tonight? There's dead people, or close enough. She breathing?"

"Did it work?" asks Lauren, bluntly.

Lotte shuts her eyes again and shakes her head. "God, Aiden, I'm so sorry."

Lotte asks, "Was it Whisper? Why did she leave?

Aiden looks at Lauren, and answers, equally blunt, "Yes." He look at Lotte then, "Yes, it was Elis. She was interrupted by your arrival at the door and fled."

Steven doesn't trust the quiet. Elis Shh has to know that this will do nothing but hurt her, to say nothing of hurt relations between Summer and Winter. The only way she can get out of this in one piece without something really bad happening to her is to make for something even worse to happen to them. He glances over to Ghost, and sighs, trying to cut down on the sabretooth act for the wolf's benefit. He'll try to think of some way to make it up to Ghost.

Lauren reaches up to pull Moopy--still unseen--into her lap like a cat. "Sucks," she says.

Kip edges around to the Princess and stares down at her. He's reaching to poke her shoulder when Zhi mutters, "Kip." and the slender chocolate-haired elf jerks back guiltily and murmurs, "Well, she does look dead."

Aiden says, "She's not dead. They wanted her alive. She's too important to kill."

Moopy scoots insubtstantily over to trail tentacles out of Lauren's lap. "Kipling's right. I think I maybe like him. Wants to touch himself a dead girl. Freak."

Lotte says, "They want her alive? So you have some idea of their plan, then?"

Lauren scowls. "She's alive, all right? She's warm. And apparently she doesn't love Cla...eh. Apparently we need to find...eh. Somebody. Um. Else."

"To kiss her, I mean," Lauren adds lamely.

Clairchiare does not seem to hear Lauren. He stays seated forlornly on the free couch, staring at the Princess.

Moopy says, "Yup. Those lips didn't do jack shit, Pinky."

Aiden shrugs slightly, his tone matter-of-fact, "She told me that she was going to kill me, and didn't see the harm in telling me what she was up to. She meant to ensure the survival of the child by having the Princess eat, like she and Rluel did. They didn't want to kill Clairchiare, so they decided to use his twin, instead. They wanted the child on the throne."

Luckily, Clairchiare doesn't seem to hear Moopy either. Apparently he's still imaginary.

Lauren swats at her lap scoldingly. "Shush!"

Steven scowls and growls a little.

Lotte turns to Lauren to stare. "Are you ok?"

"Ow," says Moopy, and sulks. "No, Lotte, she's a meaniehead."

"Sure I'm fine," says Lauren airily. "Pretty much everybody else here is screwed, though."

Lotte raises an eyebrow but turns back to Aiden. "I don't even know what to say to that, it's so fucked up."

Zhi says, "I wasn't planning on it," and turns his attention back to the dark outside.

Steven, listening intently, hears the running footsteps first.

Lauren snorts. "You know what I mean."

Without looking back at Lauren, Zhi says calmly "Yes. I do."

Steven looks wierdly at Lauren when she apparently twitches spasmodically and tells Aiden to 'shush.' But he nods a little at her evaluation, returning his attention to the door. After a moment's reflection, he gets up and starts to pace around the edge of the room. With the plethora of ways to get in and out of the whole palace, he's no longer certain that Shh couldn't just open a door where there isn't one now.

Aiden nods, "It's much the same way that we had guessed it, Lotte. We'd actually worked most of it out fairly accurately. What happens now, I don't know. Maybe they're called to account for it, maybe they walk away.."

Kip almost wails. "Can we please just be nicer?" He shuts up and seems surprised he said it as he looks at Aiden.

Lotte hears Aiden but is watching Steven pace. "I guess we'll find out when the Prince gets here."

Aiden glances over at Steven when he stands up to pace the edge of the room. Or maybe someone finds them both with their pretty little throats slit. He frowns at Kip. "Nicer? What do you mean?"

Kip is staring at Aiden and doesn't respond. He shakes his head, looking paler, and backs away.

Lotte addresses Kip, "Is this all a little too real for you?"

Kip says fervently, "Yes."

Aiden doesn't seem particularly inclined to respond to that. He just goes back to alternating between watching Steven, Seodil and Soleil.

Lauren releases Moopy and stands up to stretch her legs. "Drop it, Lotte," she says. "Let's all think about sunshine and flowers and calm the hell down and do something about this piece-of-shit situation."

Aiden looks over at Lauren. "I'm calm. I think we should wait until the Prince arrives, before we leap to any judgements on what to do about our situation."

Lotte frowns at Lauren. "I am calm. I'm not sure what y'all are talking about."

Steven's ears perk up, and he turns to the door, whiskers twitch a little. A moment later he's bounded towards the door. He's not growling, but he is fixed very intently on the door, tailtip twitching, a bit low to the ground.

"Sunshine and goddamn flowers," Lauren repeats peevishly, and kicks one of the sofas.

Moopy says, "Attagirl, Boss. We got half a pack of cigarettes, two corpses, a tank of gas, and I have no idea how many freakin' miles it is to... a human city. Hit it."

Lotte stands up and checks on Seodil then gives Aiden a big hug. "Sorry," she says as she lets go,"I didn't feel right not giving you that."

Lotte notices Steven and waits for something to happen.

Aiden actually returns the hug, if briefly. He shoots a ghost of a smile at Lotte when she pulls back. "Thanks."

The footsteps are audible to everyone now. Somebody is running on stone nearby.

Aiden stands and walks, quicky but very calmly, into his bedroom. He comes back with his sword, sheathed but in his hands, and stands next to Seodil's couch.

Lauren folds her arms. "Somebody should probably go tell whoever that is that we've already accepted Jesus Christ as our personal lord and savior."

Steven thinks that someone who's running is not trying to sneak up on them. He can guess it's probably a guard or the Prince, perhaps, or even one of Sarete's friends -- Lindenel? Somehow he doesn't want to think of her coming upon this scene. Still, if it's someone they don't want he's quite reaonably ready to express that discontent for their unwanted presence. He thinks that growling at about 30 decibels should be sufficient.

Sol, completely silent and easy to forget about in his stillness, shifts to wolf form and half-crouches by Aiden.

The runner bursts into the room when the feet still sound too far away, but it's definitely him making the sound, as it stop when he does. He's a little out of breath, but otherwise elven and impeccable, white-blonde hair fetchingly windblown. His face, at least, is not serene. Wild amethyst eyes roll, whites showing in his golden-tan skin.

Everyone but Lauren has met him before; it is indeed the Fall Prince Lyriquin.

Aiden nods. "Prince Lyriquin." He does not, however, put the sword down.

Lotte bows slightly to the Prince but remains silent.

Steven relaxes a little, but not too much. He peers past Lyriquin, seeing if anyone is behind him approaching; he didn't like the acoustics that made it sound he was a lot further away than he actually was.

Zhi sighs, but it doesn't sound like relief. More resignation. "Lyri. Here she is, and you still have a baby. Unfortunately, she's not awake."

Silence broken only by summer insects and nightbirds greets Steven's ears.

The path is also clear.

Ghost walks over to join Steven in looking out.

Lauren leans forward marginally. "You could try kissing her," she suggests. "Apparently somebody needs to."

Sol the golden wolf still looks as though he's watching the Prince for a false move. Lyriquin puts a hand to his mouth as he goes quickly to kneel by the Princess' couch. He's quiet but clearly audible as he asks, "And can this spell be broken?" He looks up at Lauren, smiles, and tries it. Near-white hair falls over the sleeping Princess Seulement's face as her husband puts his lips to hers.

And once again, nothing happens.

Aiden winces.

Lotte whispers, "Oh dear."

Lyriquin seems to take it more or less in stride. He doesn't look any more tousled, though he does look tired. "Any other suggestions, lady mage?" He's looking at Lauren.

Ghost sighs.

Steven's ears flick a little at the lack of any other sounds. He tries not to let that get him more nervous because if it does he knows he's going to be listening for the creak of wood. He glances back as the prince kisses the princess, and 'mrrps' a little, returning to his vigil. Someone needs to start seeing if the princess was particularly interested in anyone... though I have a hint as to who it might be, though nobody will really like it.... He blinks as Ghost joins him at the door, and tries to be as nonthreatening to the wolf as possible.

Aiden says, quietly. "I was told that it was the kiss of someone she loves."

Moopy says, "Wow, strike two. That's a cold bitch."

Lauren shrugs. "Fresh out. That was all I had."

Lotte wonders out loud, "What about someone from her family?"

Aiden stays quiet, unwilling to make suggestions or guesses. He doesn't want to see another crushed face like Clairchiare's.

Lauren says, "She's going to be in a world of hurt if it turns out she doesn't actually love anyone. It's possible, you know."

Lyriquin sighs and says matter-of-factly, "That would not be me. I regret that she is not overfond of her family, either. I am her ally, but they do not see eye to eye. It is a pity the land itself does not kiss-- that, she is passionate about. Has..." he glances at Clairchiare a little stiffly.

Aiden nods, "Yes, Prince Lyriquin."

Lotte says, "I know it's silly, but what about her favorite flower or something. I know they can't really kiss, but they can touch her..."

Kip winces at Lauren but doesn't contradict it. Zhi murmurs, softly, "And this is why..." he breaks off, but Lyriquin gives him a weary look and answers, "Why you would not do it. It's done. Let it go." He looks at Aiden and frowns.

A moment later, Lyriquin looks at Clairchiare with something akin to relief before he has the grace to look ashamed. He smiles at Lotte. "Starflowers. Anything silver or white, really."

Aiden glances at Lauren and says, "It's not outside the realm of possibility, though they obviously wanted her to wake. Perhaps they did not think the conditions through carefully enough." One eye twitches slightly when Lyriquin says "silver or white", and he turns to look at the elf on the couch he's guarding. Ohno.

Lotte blinks and follows Aiden's gaze to Seodil. "Well, it looks like we'll be waiting to wake her for a little while then."

Lauren turns toward the door. "Well, I'm going to go get a frickin' starflower. It's worth a shot. I know where they are."

Steven sighs a bit, and shakes his head. I'm sorry, Aiden... but if nothing else it'll just be the Princess who gets disappointed in the end. He pads around to behind the couch Seodil is on, lifts himself up a bit, steadying himself with his paws on the back of the couch and whuffles, looking at Seodil.

Lauren high-steps out of the room, and down the path to the garden.

Aiden reaches down and scratches behind Steven's ears. "Yeah. I think so too.."

Kip hurries after her, catching up. He says simply, "You shouldn't be alone tonight."

Moopy mutters, "She's not, kiss-ass."

Aiden sits back down at Seodil's waist, careful not to jostle him around too much. He lays the sword across his lap.

Lauren takes it in stride. "Goody," she says. "Remember that."

Kip looks puzzled, then slightly alarmed. He blushes and says, "Uh, here are some flowers. White. Pointy. Small." He points. They've arrived.

"Grab some," Lauren prompts Kip with a poke to the shoulder. "Who knows, we might need some spares. And the tea's fun, apparently. Get lots." She denudes the starflower shrub of two handfuls.

Kip obeys, eyes a little wide and wary. "Fun? There's fun tea?" He starts back with his handfuls.

"Fun tea. C'mon." Lauren trots back to the group's rooms. "We could try it later maybe."

Moopy says, "Boss, I think he's underage. That or he's just dumb."

Lauren shushes a hedge. "He's forty or something. It's cool."

Kip follows in thorough confusion. Lauren is first through the door to the suite, where not much has changed or moved.

Moopy says "Ew. Forty? I bet he's all dried up. That's why he's the shortest."

Zhi gives the returning pair an amused look.

Lauren holds up a handful of white-spangled foliage. "Who wants to do the honors?"

Steven blinks for a moment at surprise with the unexpected scratching; then a moment later he half-closes his eyes. Man.. no wonder cats zonk out when you do this to them. How'd I ever get through life without knowing how good this feels? He blinks a little, looking back at Lauren.

Prince Lyriquin rises to smile at Lauren and hold out a hand to her. "Why not you?"

Lotte looks at Lauren, half confused and half amused. "Um, Lauren, that's helpful and all... but I think we might have found a silver elf to kiss her." She points at Seodil on the couch.

Lauren strides forward, all authoritative. "It's not the SILVER, it's the FLOWER." She gives Lotte a knowing smirk and bends to mush the starflowers gently into the Princess' face.

The Princes actually smiles, stirs, and murmurs something. Sounds a lot like "Star..." and then "friends forever."

She does not, however, actually wake her royal self up.

Clairchiare makes an unhappy noise.

Lauren eyballs the Prince and Princess in turn. "...hell. I'm sorry."

Lotte resists the childish urge to stick her tongue out at Lauren turns to Aiden. "Do you think we can wake him?"

Steven's ears perk, the scratching (momentarily) forgotten. "Mrrowlrrpffft--" He coughs, and shakes his head, realizing he can't easilly speak like this. Hey... a reaction.... He glances over to Clairchiare sympathetically.

Aiden turns his head to look at Seodil. Looks like it's you. Aiden looks up at Lotte, snapping, "Absolutely not. He'll wake when he wakes, I'm not forcing the issue, and it won't be the first thing he hears when he wakes up either."

Clairchiare says softly, "But she called me Star once...."

Lotte nods. "I am totally with you."

Aiden shakes his head, "Sorry, Lotte. It's just.. he's been through enough. He needs his rest."

Lotte nods sympathetically at Aiden. "It's ok, Aiden. No apologies. He does need his rest."

Zhi sighs and says, "Touching as that is, I think calling to him might help Seodil just as much as the Summer Princess. He may not want to come back soon without a good reason."

Aiden shoots Zhi a look that indicates that budging Aiden on this issue is going to be remarkably difficult. And he has a sword in his lap.

Lotte considers Zhi's logic but leaves it up to Aiden.

Lauren tucks her foliage into her bodice, where it poufs out in lieu of cleavage. "Well, she said friends forever. I guess we need to find one of her friends."

The Prince just glances at Clairchiare without much expression and says, "She was half asleep. She called me that a few times as well, and I know full well she was not talking to me."

Lotte says, "Lauren, Seodil is probably the one she loves. They were childhood friends."

Steven winces a little. A bit more blunt than he'd have put it, but....

Kip eyes the flowered chest with mild fascination, apparently torn between wondering why Lauren did that and kind of liking the effect.

"Were they? Eh. 'Magine that." Lauren eyeballs Seodil. "Well, they're both asleep and he's a hurting puppy. They'll keep. I say give 'em a day or two."

Lotte smiles at Lauren and nods. "Careful with those flowers," she says, "or the men around here won't ever look at your face again. Well, some men anyway."

Zhi says, "Do we have a day or two? Lyri, Aiden laid the blame on Lady Averet and Lady Shh. Have they been found?"

Prince Lyriquin shakes his head. "No, but if we are to wait til morning, so be it. I will call guards and sleep here."

Aiden says, tightly, "With all due respect, I would strongly prefer that he be left to sleep the shock off. If it's absolutely necessary that he be woken, I will do what I can, but I won't allow him to be hurt any further."

Kip turns bright flaming red and stares at the floor after Lotte speaks. Ghost snickers, or perhaps sneezes.

Sol underscores Aiden's point with a low growl. Lyriquin blinks at Aiden and Sol. "Are you both his lovers, or is that your familiar?"

Lauren stays SO straight-faced.

The Prince adds, "Not that I am disposed to harm him, Aiden. Regardless of my wife's feelings."

"That," Aiden motions at Sol, "Is Prince Soleil of Winter."

Aiden nods, "I was not suggesting that you were, Prince Lyriquin, simply that there might be some.. shock in this for him as well, and that I do not wish to compound the problems already present."

Lyriquin looks at Sol again. Sol's ears flick forward. "I see." He clearly does his best to move on and looks at Aiden again. "Well. I suppose I shall guard all of our sleep tonight securely then, as her kidnappers have not been taken into custody. I will return shortly with your relief; until then, please guard them."

With a sidelong glance at Steven-- the very large cougar-- Prince Lyriquin bows to the company and takes himself out. On the path, running feet sound again.

Aiden says, under his breath and nearly growling himself, "Kidnapping, yes. Don't forget torture, a few murders, several cannibalisms and one more planned."

The guards arrive en masse and include the daffodil-haired Ilirith, who touches one of the stern, tall elven guards and causes minor eruptions in the floor with great focus. When she is finished, the common room looks more like a herd of mossy sofa-beds. She looks up and smiles. "People can all sleep here now. I shan't stay; I need to keep Lindenel company, but I'll be back tomorrow."

Ilirith's chosen guard looks exhausted when she's done, and sinks down to one of the newly born organic sofas.

Seodil is carried into the room Aiden and Sol are apparently going to share tonight. Lotte and Steven have their own rooms; Sarete walks into Steven's expectantly. Lauren has been sleeping with the Fall elves, who show no sign of going back to their own suites, and curl up on two of the new moss-beds in the common room. The Prince and guards stay standing and alert.

Steven is surprised at the sudden growth of couches, considering that a really neat trick. He casts a quick glance to Sarete.. and decides that he'll spend some time in feline form... at least for this evening. Besides... it's been a while since he was like this.

Nights pass uneventfully, well-guarded, and everyone opens their eyes safely to Summer morning-- those who closed them at all. Sarete is scratching Steven's ears when he wakes up, smiling oddly; she appears to have spent the night by his side, feline or not. Lauren wakes on a couch near the Fall elves. Kip is still sleeping, looking young and remarkably pure when unconscious. Zhi looks much less pure, a little smile on his expressive lips as he wakes.

Lotte wakes in her own room with Ghost curled warmly on her bare feet.

Aiden, Seodil and Soleil have not slept a wink... though Seodil has come back to the world of talking and looking a little less gray around the edges. They enter the common room in a small knot of tired elves and go to the breakfast table, which has doubled in size and is already laden with various elven and normal things one might like to break a fast with.

Steven wakes up, when he finally does, feeling quite comfortable and oddly relaxed and... waitaminute.... It takes him a few moments to realize the pleasant scratching is from Sarete. And for the life of him, he has no idea what to do.

Something in the room with Steven creaks.

Lauren rubs the sleep out of her eyes. "Morning, everyone," she mumbles. "Who was making all that noise last night? I hardly got any sleep at all."

Aiden settles down for breakfast. He actually does eat, though he doesn't eat much. He spends a great deal of time encouraging Seodil and Sol to eat.

Zhi says cheerfully to Lauren, "I did make use of Kip a time or two and he was near you. Sorry if our talking disturbed you."

Lauren gawps. "....muh? You DIDN'T."

Kip turns hot pink out to the eartips and says, "He doesn't mean that. I ran errands."

Lotte sits up to pet Ghost awake, then gets out of bed and pulls on some clothes. She hesitates before entering the common room, not at all looking forward to what this day might bring. She takes her guitar with her and sits on one of the couches, strumming what she hopes are some comforting tunes for the breakfast eaters.

Lotte shortly has the attention of the guards nearest her, and several stern tall elves in armor relent enough to cast smiles her way.

Lauren gets more than a little pink around the ears, too. "Yeah, well," she says. "Yeahuh."

Lauren migrates her pile of skirts over to the sideboard and gourmandizes freely on the fruits and nuts.

Zhi grins and saunters off to get breakfast himself. Kip tries to avoid looking anyone whatsoever in the eyes as he does.

In the end, Aiden eats about as much as he usually does at breakfast. He's never eaten much at breakfast, anyway. "Have they been found?"

Prince Lyriquin shakes his head at Aiden. "There is no sign of them, and some personal effects are missing."

Aiden nods, "They've fled then? To the beach, perhaps?"

Lotte shudders at the mention of the beach and stops playing. She leaves her guitar and sits down to eat.

Steven perks his ears at mention of that, looking up at Aiden and the Prince.

Ilirith walks into the suite with a pale brown elf-girl who looks more doe-eyed than most-- Lindenel, Rathskeliad's fiancee. Clairchiare spares her hardly a glance hello, dejected. She tucks long, pastel green hair behind one ear, revealing it to be bigger and more mobile than the other elves'.

Aiden looks up, politeness over-ruling anything else - when in doubt fall back on the tried-and-true habits, "Ilirith, Lindenel. Morning."

Lyriquin nods, "Perhaps to the oceanside." He glances at the sleeping Princess. "Her royal parents request that we spare no effort to wake their daughter as soon as possible."

Lauren swallows a mouthful of half-chewed nuts too quickly, and botches her "Act Inconspicuous For the Wife of the Guy That Gave You the Dress You're Wearing" roll.

Lotte finally lets herself notice Clairchiare's misery and lets her heart feel sorry for him. She goes to sit next to him, trying to exude quiet comfort.

Clairchiare gives Lotte a reflexive smile and goes back to staring at his hands.

Aiden turns to look at Seodil. "Seodil? We think that you might be the key to waking the Princess up.."

Lindenel smiles greeting to Aiden in turn with Ilirith. Her gaze fixes on Lauren.

Linden does not seem to notice Steven-- but then, she has never seen him as a cat before. Sarete scratches his ears idly.

Lauren bobs her head fervently at Lindenel, goes red to the neck, and focuses all her attention, laser-like, on a walnut.

Lotte decides to go for it and slips her hand in Clair's, patting the back of his hand with her other palm.

Seodil blinks at Aiden and nods slowly. "I am willing, of course... how? What must I do?"

Steven swallows a bit, freezing, his eyes flicking from Lindenel, up to Sarete, then back and forth again. Lindenel doesn't seem to notice him yet, at least, as a feline.

Aiden says, carefully. "I was told that it required the kiss of someone she loves." There's no tactful way to say it, but he's almost completely certain that Seodil isn't likely to blow up on him.. he hopes. "We think that might be you."

The walnut Lauren is staring at explodes with a sharp popping sound, a miniature gunshot.

Aiden startles, badly. He doesn't yelp.. barely.

Steven gives a start, bounding up and giving a snarled yowl, though he's not riled, just badly startled.

Lotte jumps slightly at the exploding nut, but calms herself quickly. She let's go of the squeeze she had on Clairchiare's hand.

Clairchiare leaps to his feet, pulling Lotte with him, and seems to notice her for the first time with real attention. He blinks and takes her hand back to bow over it and murmur something too soft for anyone else to hear. Lotte hears it only faintly, a courtly apology for disturbing her and the usual offer to make amends if the lady pleases. He looks more alert, though.

Lauren scrapes walnut dust off her front and shivers, once.

Linden gasps and startles as badly as any of the guards, and then walks to sit by Sarete, changing course noticeably.

"Sorry, sorry," Lauren mumbles.

Lotte squeezes the pink elf's hand affectionately as a response to his apology, then lets go again. Her heart is beating too fast, more from Clair than from the explosion. She sits down where she was before he pulled her up, though.

Weapons slide back into their sheaths all around as the guards settle. Seodil was unarmed, and is still reaching for a sword that is not there. He winces as it pulls at his healing shoulders, and nods to Aiden. "I am willing, though..." he hesitates, and leaves it at that. He looks around.

Steven whuffles a moment, and murmurs an 'excuse me,' or at least what might be an 'excuse me'. Now that he's already standing, he pads to the washroom where he changes back and makes use of the facilities, washing his face to help him wae up some.

Aiden nods at Seodil. "It's alright. They've tried, they understand."

Seodil gives Aiden a hesitant look that doesn't seem to go on the elegant elven face. "No one else succeeded?"

Aiden shakes his head. "No."

Clairchiare, mercifully distracted from this exchange, sits back by Lotte and attempts to be charmingly reassuring about the usual percentage of exploding nuts in Summer. He appears to be entirely oblivious to some rather unfortunate phrasing, too.

Lotte tries to keep a straight face as Clairchiare talks, but attempts to keep him occupied no matter how silly the conversation seems.

Seodil rises stiffly, looking awkward as hell. He walks slowly to the Princess Seulement and looks down at her. With an audible creak of joints, he kneels by her couch and takes her hand, respect in the gesture. The silver elf bows his head and raises her hand to his lips.

Aiden watches Seodil without a hint of jealousy on his face. Concern, but not jealousy.

Steven comes out of the washroom, looking more of his normal self, and frowns a little bit, looking at Seodil. he glances to Aiden and Sol, biting his lip, and waits.

The princess opens her eyes.

Aiden looks relieved. Sort of.

The Princess Seulement turns out to have a soft, lovely voice-- if very high-pitched. Then again, she is an elf. "Star?"

She sounds confused, logically enough. Seodil just nods, and says "I am here, my lady." He sounds anything but aloof, though. Closer to choked-up.

Aiden bites his bottom lip, the expression on his face unreadable.

Seulement starts sniffling and says, "They didn't tell me til you were gone and they wouldn't bring you back I'm so sorry I tried--" and falls too soft to hear. Seodil's head bends, and he speaks quietly to her for some time. They ignore the rest of the room completely.

At length, they stop speaking and Seodil moves away to bow to Prince Lyriquin and says something. The Prince moves immediately to help his wife sit up, and beckons Clairchiare over. After another long moment, Clairchiare picks the princess up and carries her out surrounded by half the guards. Lyriquin smiles at the party and says, "I cannot thank you enough... we are taking her back to her own rooms to see her parents. Please, rest... we owe you a great debt."

Aiden nods to Prince Lyriquin, though he thinks that "rest" is out of the question at the moment, especially with Rluel Averet and Elis Shh still running around free and alive somewhere. It's the latter that bothers him most.

Lyriquin looks at Soleil and says, "Your request for aid will be honored. I will return to discuss details as soon as I can; I'm sure you understand that I must aid the investigation now." Sol, presently elven but no less silent, nods. Lyriquin leaves them after a few more glowing words of praise toward the entire group of rescuers, and the assurance of gifts from Summer.

Lotte stares at the party blankly as they leave, too overwhelmed to think of anything important.

Half of the guards remain in the common room, as do Sarete, Ilirith and Linden. Linden bites her lip, looking unhappy.

Zhi stands up and coughs to get everyone's attention, and says pleasantly "Might I have a moment?"

Aiden watches the Prince go. Well. Isn't that nice. Lua gets the help she tossed us into this viper's nest for, and we get to rest easy in the knowledge that the pain Seodil endured to make me talk paid for the rebuilding of a Kingdom that I'm not welcome in. Break out the parade.

Aiden glances at Zhi, slumping a bit.

Lauren makes a half-hearted attempt to blow up another walnut, fails, and takes a deep breath. Then she smiles.

"Hey," says Lauren. "We win. All done. Right?"

Steven fidgets a little, feeling... somehow empty. Or maybe he's just picking up on the bad vibes in the room. he glaces to Zhi.

Moopy says, "Hey, we are not done til we get presents. You heard Prince Charming. He said he wanted to express that gratitude. I think he meant stuff. Ask for something magic! --But not smarter than me."

Lauren nods. "So true, little guy. Bring 'em on."

Zhi smiles gently and says, "We win. I will not consider us entirely safe until we are far from the anger of those thwarted, but we do win. That actually relates to what I wish to ask..." he pauses and looks quizzically at Lauren.

Steven glances at Lauren, and, thinking she's talking to Zhi, looks to that elf.

Lauren shakes her head quickly and mouths "nevermind".

Zhi lets it go-- again-- and looks briefly at everyone. (The guards, having figured out long ago that he was not referring to them, are busy being guards.)

Ruffling his bright blue mohawk with one hand, Zhi says "What are your plans now?"

He's looking mostly at Lotte, Lauren and Steven.

Lauren blinks. "Going the fuck home, of course. What else?"

Steven glances to Lauren. "Errr...."

Lotte says, "We haven't found a way yet, Lauren, and we've been here for weeks and weeks."

Lauren rounds on Steven at once."Don't you ERR me, you and YOU--" she points at Lotte-- "haven't had time to LOOK, now have you?"

Lotte falters and falls silent.

Steven blinks at the verbal fusilade. I never really thought about going home yet....

Aiden says, "Lauren, we haven't had time to look, but it's safe to say that it's not going to happen in the next day or so. We're going day-to-day right now."

Lauren hunkers. "So that's that," she says, looking defiant.

Zhi steps smoothly into the gap. "Lauren, your way home may lie any direction... so this applies to you as much as to the others." He pauses, smiles. "I am going home. It is well-guarded, and safe once we reach it. Would you like to come with me?"

Lauren perks up. "Ooh yes."

Steven considers. That might be a nice prospect. It certainly sounds nice. And, he hopes, free of the rivalry and viciousness that seems to pervade the Summer court. And the miserableness of the Winter one, he adds.

Zhi turns the rays of a brilliant smile on Lauren. "I am delighted."

Kip looks shyly pleased, too.

Lauren can't help but add: "And THEN we can go home." She grins.

Steven thinks, But what is 'home?'

Aiden is staring intently at a spot on the floor just ahead of his feet. Thinking, maybe?

The blue-haired elf looks at the rest of the group-- Ilirith, Sarete and Linden clearly not included-- and says softly, "You do not have to answer me now. Consider it if you need to... I will leave in a few days, no longer. Tell me by tomorrow night." He tilts his head at Lauren and chuckles. "Are you inviting me to visit yours, then?"

Sol is silent. He looks at Aiden.

Lotte appears to be considering, as well.

Aiden lifts his head, "I will give you my answer soon, Zhi, but I suspect that I will join you." He sighs softly, "I've no wish to be separated from my family, and I am not welcome in Winter."

"Oh SURE." Lauren elbows a spot in the air next to her, knowingly. "You guys can all come back with me. We'll hang out."

Seodil looks at Aiden, then smiles quietly. He looks at Zhi. "I will tell you by that time. Thank you."

Moopy says, "Hooo boy. Mom's gonna love that."

[Previous Log] [Index] [Next Log]

Last modified: 2001-Jun-12 14:20:21

All material on this site is
Copyright © 2001-2024 Reality Fault
unless specifically indicated on each document.
All Rights Reserved.
Administrated by Reality Fault Webmaster