Continental Breakfast Included

[kitchen_maid]

The King and Queen have a great many parlors at their disposal, ranging from the very grand to somewhat very grand.

And then there is this one, which is generally reserved for the use of the family and their closest personal friends. It is a comfortable, sunlit sort of room, where one may find the children's toys and the Amy's embroidery and Perry's carving projects.

It is also where Amy has instructed her staff to lay out a breakfast for her friends this morning. They were all shown back to their rooms for what was left of the night before after their adventures, to at least attempt to get some rest.

Amy herself is a bit busy at the moment catching up on Official Matters: giving reports to the Deputy Captain of the Palace Guard and the Court Historian, seeing to the palace's new ghost (she's settled him in the Northwest tower, which is, she assures him, a perfectly lovely place to haunt), and reassuring her husband that yes, darling, she really is perfectly all right. She'll be along when she can.

In the meantime, everyone is free to make their way into the parlor in their own time. When they arrive, they will likely find company, and definitely find a table laid with everything the kitchens could find to send up: bread and jam and marmalade, cakes and pastries, eggs and bacon and sausages, a giant bowl of fruit, tea and juice and milk.

Comments

[cutting_edgex23]

X only really needs an hour of two of sleep a night, which is why she really looks no different than usual as she makes her way into the room.

It only takes a moment to pour a cup of milk, spread some jam on a few pieces of bread, and add a few strips of bacon to her plate. Balancing a serving of fruit is really not that much more difficult.

Then, fully prepared to camp out with food for quite some time, X makes her way to a comfortable chair near a reasonably sized table.

It helps not to have to worry about spills.

[noteful]

"Good morning, Laura," Meg says, taking a chair on the other side of the table.

She has her hands wrapped around a cup of tea.

"How are you today?"

[cutting_edgex23]

"No one died," X responds, taking a sip of milk.

"I am okay."

Beat.

"You do not want to go back to sleep?"

[noteful]

"I was hungry," Meg confesses.

"And if I sleep too late in the morning, I'll stay up too late tonight. It's better to get up and just face the day."

Besides, she has tea. It'll be all right.

"How did things for you last night? There wasn't really much time to ask, then."

What with the fleeing on brooms and all.

[cutting_edgex23]

"I do not know what that is like," X says, matter-of-factly.

Then she takes a bite of bacon.

"Last night."

She pauses for a moment, looking for the right words.

Sometimes it takes a while.

"Amy did not get hurt. And Bruce was okay, too. I -- "

It seems like time for another pause.

"The spell was very strange. You were okay, too? With the ghost."

[noteful]

"I was fine," Meg says. "I was doing paperwork, basically.

"I leave the daring heroics to people who are better suited to them than I am."

But if you need someone to battle evil with a filing system, Meg Ford is your girl.

"But, the whole place was quite strange, yes."

[cutting_edgex23]

"Heroics are not always very helpful."

For context, X does not consider her own job to be heroic.

That is left for grand-standers like Tony Stark.

And maybe Cyclops.

"I am glad the spell is over."

[noteful]

"Me, too.

"Though it certainly ended in terribly dramatic fashion."

Meg sips her tea.

"At least, I assume it's over."

[cutting_edgex23]

"Amy is not in a trance. And she is not dancing anymore."

Beat.

"Bruce is not, either. And the bird exploded."

Here X hesitates.

"It is possible for Scorpius to check? Before the court wizard returns."

How concerned do they need to be?

[noteful]

"It's probably possible," Meg says. "And the Queen and King don't really seem like the sort of people who wouldn't make sure that things are done, you know?"

Meg pauses.

"Bruce was dancing?"

[cutting_edgex23]

"It did not interfere with combat."

Much.

"And I did, too. A little."

Here she frowns. The two-step was very unexpected.

"I think."

Beat.

"I do not know why."

[noteful]

"Huh," Meg says, thinking about that one for a moment.

"Maybe it was just that you were that close to it? I don't know. Magic really isn't one of areas of expertise."

[cutting_edgex23]

"It is possible," X acknowledges, after a moment or two of consideration.

"I am not good at magic, either."

Thinking about it is also not high in her list of available skills.

[kitchen_maid]

"X," says Amy, holding her hands out to her guest by way of greeting.

"It seems we find ourselves once again in your debt.

"Thank you."

[cutting_edgex23]

"Amy," X says.

Then, several seconds later, she reaches out to shake Amy's hand.

"You are welcome."

Beat.

"I like when you are safe. And your kingdom."

[kitchen_maid]

"Thank you," Amy says, again. "I do, too.

"Now, is there anything you need? Or want?"

[cutting_edgex23]

"I do not think so," X says, looking momentarily bewildered.

"The milk is good."

Oh.

Speaking of milk and strong bones --

"The children are okay? And not upset. Now."

[kitchen_maid]

"I believe so," Amy says. "They're still at Wrennford, but they generally seem to enjoy their visits there.

"We'll probably send for them to come back later today."

[cutting_edgex23]

"Okay."

A fractional amount of tension leaks out of X's shoulders.

"Good."

Beat.

"When your magician returns, he will make sure that the spell is over?"

She may have been worrying about this since talking to Meg.

[kitchen_maid]

"We'll ask him to check it all out very thoroughly.

"And if you want to stay tonight and make sure nothing more happens, you're welcome to."

Amy would want to.

Just to know.

[cutting_edgex23]

"I will," X says promptly.

"Thank you."

It could be important.

And it will help minimize worrying. A little.

[kitchen_maid]

Amy nods.

"I'll get Duncan to make the necessary arrangements."

It's what Duncan does. He's very good at it.

"I'm sorry that was what was meant to be a diverting visit to see a football game wound up involving quite so much running around and solving problems, but I am very grateful you were here, X."

[cutting_edgex23]

"I like to be useful."

This is the truth, and the speed of X's delivery is not intended to be defensive.

"And I am glad you are no longer dancing."

Beat.

"Except when you want to."

[kitchen_maid]

"That definitely makes two of us.

"It's very different when you want to be doing something."

[cutting_edgex23]

"I know."

X is very serious when she says that.

Deadly serious.

And, several long moments later, when she has tried to find better words and pretty much failed --

"I am sorry."