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Amy came out this afternoon to check on the status of various boats. She's not sure what to do about the Hope -- she's hoping Caspian has left instructions with Mal. In the meantime, all she can do is make sure it seems to be safe and secure.

As for the Black Pearl -- Amy is at an utter loss. She's not sure how a ship that size got into the lake in the first place. And, having got there, she can't imagine getting it back out was a simple case of walking it out the front door.

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It wasn't. Not by any stretch of the imagination.

Telling Amy of what has happened to Henry Wellard will not be the same as telling Hannah Griffith, or Mary Lennox, but Merriman still has not relished the thought of doing so. Not that he has been avoiding her, by any means...but Milliways being what it is, he has not had a chance to speak to her sooner. Now, it is time.

He doesn't appear out of nowhere, though. Amy will at least have a chance to see him coming, walking along the shoreline from the direction of the bar.

Not in Company uniform, though -- he is dressed in the dark, formal robes that tend to mean that he is out on business.

Milliways being what it is, Amy has been caught up in her own problems and events, and hasn't had much chance to even think about the Pearl's disappearance, let alone do any investigation.

So there's a smile for him.

"Good afternoon, Professor Lyon."

(He's always "Professor Lyon" when Amy addresses him, no matter which role he's clothed in.)

'Good afternoon, Amy.' He gives her a smile as well, and it's sincere enough even if it's rather small. 'Are you out for a walk, or on other matters?'

He knows that Caspian's left -- and he knows how close Amy and Caspian were. So the question is phrased in a way to allow her to speak of as much or as little as she likes.

"A little of both, perhaps," says Amy. "I wanted to check that everything was all right with Caspian's Hope. But it's also a nice day for a walk.

"Had you heard about Caspian?"

She doesn't know.

'I spoke to him shortly beforehand.'

It's explanation enough, especially if the solemn and quietly sympathetic look on his face is anything to go by. Caspian was the reason why they met in the first place, even if the circumstances at the time were not the most favourable for an acquaintanceship.

'And you have my sympathies for your loss.'

"Thank you, Professor Lyon," says Amy.

She's glad she doesn't have to explain the whole thing to him.

"And how have you been?"

'Well enough, myself,' he says truthfully. 'Though I have been meaning to speak to you, regarding an incident that happened on the lake a little while ago.'

This is the reason why he is out on business, and it is only the fact that this business is also rather personal that keeps his voice from sounding too brisk and professional.

'It is fairly difficult not to notice that the Black Pearl is no longer in the lake. It was actually taken from the lake, drawn down beneath the waters and back to where it should have been before it arrived in Milliways. It so happened that Captain Sparrow was aboard the Pearl when it was taken.'

A slight pause, barely longer than the time it takes his words to register.

'And unfortunately, Mister Wellard happened to be there as well. Up in the rigging.'

Amy's gotten very still, shoulders back and squared, eyes sharp and focused.

We should, perhaps, call her 'Queen Amethyst' at this point.

This is personal, yes. Truly. But also business.

"And where, may I ask, should the Pearl have been, that it has now gone?"

Her change in bearing does not go unnoticed. It is a very small shift for his own to compensate, to speak as a royal advisor who is all too often the bearer of unwelcome news.

'In the terms used by sailors of my world, it is known as Davy Jones' Locker,' he says, with careful precision. 'A terrible place, which seems to be the equivalent of an unending purgatory to those who fear what death might bring. In the terms that I would use in my capacity as an Old One, however, it is a place outside Time -- it is under the auspices of the Wild Magic, neither Light nor Dark.'

He's careful to lay a bit of emphasis on those last four words.

It's the queen who gives the slighy slow nod in response to this.

But it's Amy who says, "God have mercy.

"Not the Dark not the Light, and outside Time? Is there anything can be done to recover them?"

'There is a rescue mission in progress,' Merriman replies. 'It is a difficult and dangerous journey, but it is not an impossible task. I would join it myself, but the risk of alerting the Dark or the Wild Magic to my presence is a risk they cannot afford to take.'

He glances out across the lake for a moment before looking back at Amy.

'When' -- not if -- 'they return to the world, I will be able to track Mister Wellard and determine his location. Getting him back to Milliways will be possible then, although it make take a bit of time to work out how to go about it to ensure his safety.'

Amy nods again.

"What of Captain Sparrow? Can he be brought back here as well?

"And is there anything you need of me? Anything I can do?"

'Captain Sparrow's rescue is, I think, one of the primary goals of the mission. But both of them could be brought back -- certainly when I am able to find them and open a door for them, if a door does not open for them before that time.'

He considers her question with care, because "anything" is a very serious word with him.

'As for what may be done here...very little, I regret to say,' he replies. 'But I would very much appreciate it if you would keep an eye on young Mary Lennox, if you see her in the bar. She took the news of Mister Wellard's disappearance quite badly, and she can be impetuous at times.' He lets out a quiet sigh. 'I do not think she will do anything rash, but it cannot hurt to have more people looking out for her at the moment.'

"Of course," says Amy. "I don't know Mary terribly well, but well enough, I should think, for that.

"And is there anything you need, Professor Lyon?"

She hates to presume, with a Lord of the Light and all, but he does look rather as if he needs a cup of tea.

He certainly does. It isn't strain, exactly, but one can only be so business-like when the personal and the professional start to blur together.

He rubs the bridge of his nose a little. 'In lieu of more useful information to give to you, I think that I would be greatly obliged to know if the kind offer you made to me a short time ago still stands?'

It takes Amy just a moment to remember just what he's referring to, and then he gets a smile.

"It stands now and always," she says. "But dealing with now specifically, it should be just about teatime in Amber, and I do believe it's the day for blueberry scones."

'Then I am most fortunate to have enquired.'

She gets a smile in return, along with a slight bow as he offers her an arm.

Amy accepts his arm, and they make their way back into the bar, and through into Amber.

Just in time for tea.

The blueberry scones really are excellent.

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