kitchen_maid | (no subject)

Even with the chief conspirator rather definitely dealt with, there is rather a lot that has to be addressed in the wake of an attempted royal coup. The others involved must be located and taken care off, a nervous populace must be reassured.

Arrangements must be made for the room and board for Norman the Royal Dragon of Ambergeldar.

The heroes of the day must be properly thanked and acknowledged. (Which means finding a new Protocol Officer who can throw together an appropriate ceremony and celebration, immediately.)

In the meantime, however, those heroes have earned a bit of a rest. Amy made sure, personally, that everyone had a room, fresh clothes and anything else they want.

She also has the Royal Family's Sitting Room set up for their use. The room is full of comfortable chairs, and has a lived-in feel, with Perry's books and Amy's handwork and several of Merry and Susan's toys scattered about.

There is also, on a long, low table, rather a lot of food -- bread, meat, cheese, a couple of pies and a tray of other pastries, fruit from the palace greenhouse, pots of tea, pitchers of apple cider and milk and wine.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Meg shakes her head.

"I took notes to the point that my hand started to hurt, but that's actually not all that uncommon for me.

"I got locked in a secret room over night, but I didn't get hurt."

X stiffens. Just a little.

It's pretty reflexive.

"They wanted to hurt you?"

"Possibly?" Meg says. "I . . . he was working with Lord Maximilian, and didn't want Logan and me to figure it out. So he locked us in a room, but we found the door. And neither of us got hurt.

"And the man, Lord Julius . . . the queen had him arrested and taken the dungeon, so he's not going to be able to hurt anyone else."

Meg finds Amy a little intimidating.

Meg finds Amy a LOT intimidating.

"Good."

X sounds fierce. Very fierce.

"It is better when people are not hurt."

Except for Lord Maximilian.

This time.

"Yes, much," Meg agrees.

"So what have you been doing and seeing since we got here, Laura?"

"There were gnomes," X says.

"And sheep."

Beat.

"And the dragon."

"I saw the dragon," Meg says.

"But I haven't heard anything about gnomes or . . . sheep?"

Really? Sheep?

"They were in the trees. The gnomes."

Beat.

"They are not very big, but they swarm."

This pause is longer.

"The dragon took a sheep. Elspeth. We brought it back."

" . . . the sheep is named Elspeth?"

And more importantly, why does Laura know that the sheep is named Elspeth?

"Yes."

And after another few moments of silence --

"Clorinda was worried. When she went missing."

"Okay," Meg says.

"And . . . who is Clorinda?"

"The shepherdess."

Beat.

"She liked 494."

X can tell these things. Obvious is a bit of an understatement.

"Oh, I see," Meg says.

Well, that explains how they know the sheep's name, if nothing else.

"I'm sure she was very glad to get her sheep back."

"Yes," X agrees.

She was definitely very upset that the sheep was gone.

And then --

"I liked flying. With the dragon."

If X could sound shy --

That would do it.

Meg thinks the concept of flying around on a dragon (or in a dragon's claws) sounds less enjoyable and more . . . terrifying.

But she's not entirely certain that she's ever heard Laura volunteer an opinion on something like that before, so what she says is, "Really? What was it like?"

X tilts her head slightly, frowning.

"It is not like skydiving."

Beat.

"You move too much. Sideways."

"Oh," says Meg.

"I've never been skydiving," she says.

"But it sounds like you had quite an adventure. With swarming gnomes and all."

"It was busy."

Beat.

"And Parker found us. With the dragon."

And Perry.

Meg laughs, a little.

"Only Parker would manage that."

"She is very good," X says.

"At talking."

It is impressive.

"She really is.

"And at making friends."

X is silent for a moment, studying Meg.

Then --

"You are, too."

Especially compared to X. But --

Meg considers this.

"I think I'm probably better at being a friend, or staying friends, than at making them.

"I'm not as outgoing as Parker."

X shrugs.

"I do not mind."

Keep in mind that X does not consider herself outgoing, either.

"I don't either, really.

"I have good friends, and we're all safely through this adventure, and I'm happy."

(no subject)

cutting_edgex23 - 2009-04-08 03:26 (UTC) - Expand