platinum and diamond

[go_meta]

They get to Casasha. Shara gets her cream puff and her fruit. Strangers incline their heads to her and call her "pennon"; a few recognize her personally or just know that there aren't any other Swanpennons her age and call her "princess". Casasha is pretty densely populated - there's farmland in parts of it, but the place the wilds spit them out in isn't it; it's a largish city by the source of the river they've been following, and after they spend a night in an inn there - and their horses are more thoroughly seen to than is possible on the trail - they'll be proceeding on a well-trafficked highway to the royal household.

Comments

[in_tatters]

"Nnnnno that's okay, we'll just figure it out."

[pleating]

"Shara will probably produce plenty of opinions about the details when she knows you are not labeled fragile, this end up, keep out of direct sunlight, no sudden movements or loud noises, do not expose to bagpipe music."

[in_tatters]

Adarin cracks up. "What would happen if I were fragile and exposed to bagpipe music?"

[pleating]

"Uuuum, lingering death from... fluid in the lungs, that's what."

[in_tatters]

"Sounds drawn out. I'll avoid bagpipes, then."

[pleating]

"Well, the point is that you don't actually need the fragility labeling."

[in_tatters]

"But what if I die?" says Adarin in mock-fear.

[try_me]

"He will never get to kiss her if he dies first!"

[pleating]

"All right, go ahead and be careful around bagpipes but don't be careful around Shara, she doesn't even know how to play."

[in_tatters]

"Oh, well, that's okay, then."

[pleating]

"She's in the library if you want to go right now."

[in_tatters]

"Uh - what, right now-?"

[try_me]

"Yup," says Zeviana, who immediately starts pushing her brother to the door. "Right now, shoo, before you think about it too much. Shoo!"

[in_tatters]

"Eep!"

And then he is out of the room, and Zeviana closes the door on him.

[try_me]

"There," says Zeviana, casually leaning on the door to prevent him from coming back in. "That'll work."

[pleating]

"He doesn't know where the library is, does he?"

[try_me]

"No idea."

[pleating]

"I'll show him where to find it," laughs Kayam, and she lets herself out of the room.

[in_tatters]

Adarin is currently looking like a confused and lost puppy. "... I don't know where the library is."

[pleating]

"I figured. This way." Stroll, stroll.

[in_tatters]

"Thank you."

Stroll, stroll. Nervous fidgeting. "You're uh - not bothered if Shara and I...? You mentioned that you're pining."

[pleating]

"Yeah, I'm kinda pining. But I'm not jealous. And me and her isn't going to happen anyway."

[in_tatters]

"Okay - I'm sorry."

[pleating]

"That's she's straight? Why are you sorry? If she wasn't we'd have been together since we were about fifteen and you'd never get a bit in edgewise."

[in_tatters]

"... Fair point," he laughs. "But I'm sorry that you're pining."