Talking with the Luidaeg

[heatherandsteel]

When Etienne dropped him off at Toby's apartment one morning, May greeted him with, "You're having breakfast with the Luidaeg tomorrow. It'll do you good, now go sleep and no, she hasn't come out yet."

He started to say something then smiled before hugging May and giving Cagney, Lacey and Spike pets, "Can I help with dinner?"

May beamed at him and he went to bed full and hopeful, the Luidaeg would know what Toby needed.

****

Quentin leaned against a pole as he watched the food trucks lighting up the little square and tried to figure out the best dishes to order. Whenever there were a lot of food trucks, there were always a few meals that were plain better. He had his eye on one called Proper Tucker and another that was simple My Old Cupcake Home.

Comments

[salty_witch]

And the she's there, walking as if the crowd around her wasn't even there. Of course, with the crowd parting about her as she passed, this is likely intentional.

"Hey kid," she says with a smile, though her tone is subdued. Everyone felt the fallout of the near war differently. "How ya holding up?"

[heatherandsteel]

He smiles when she appears and hugs her,

"I'm okay. I think Etienne's decided training is what I need. She hasn't come out of her room yet."

[salty_witch]

She returns the hug, though her shoulders slump with his words.

"I had hoped she would have been able to pull herself together by now. It's hard to lose what we love. The training is looking good on you." And it's true, at least to her eyes he seems to have filled out a bit. "Let's get some food and talk about it.

[heatherandsteel]

"Me too. It keeps me busy and I'm getting better. Where should we start?"

They have a lot of good choices and Quentin has been trying to figure out what she might like most.

[salty_witch]

She looks about and snorts when she reads the name of the truck across from her.

"'The Tempura of Love'? Who the hell thought that was a good idea? Let's see if they have shrimp and if so how big they are."

The shrimp, as it turns out, are rather large and so she orders four plates, one for her and a couple for Quentin. She know growing boys. Of course, if he doesn't like shrimp, she can eat it.

"Is she eating?"

[heatherandsteel]

When he sees the size of the shrimp, he grins and helps her to carry the plates,

"Yes, not a lot but we all take turns bringing something and she does eat."

[salty_witch]

"You guys are sure to let her know you're around right?" She asks, crunching through the first shrimp. Since mortals are around, she's careful to avoid the skewer.

[heatherandsteel]

"We do. I've been staying there instead of at Shadowed Hills. So between me, May and Jazz, someone's always there and checking in with her. Its just she's almost like Katie was, in a fog and I don't know if we're even reaching her."

[salty_witch]

Luidaeg sighs and looks down thinking.

"How long has it been now?" She's not exactly sure of the time since she's been busy with things of her own; machinations she hopes remain hidden.

[heatherandsteel]

"Almost a week. The only times she's come out are to tell people to go away,"

He looks out on the crowd as he absently eats, he knows Toby's in a lot of pain, but he's never seen her not in motion like this before.

[salty_witch]

"Has the cat been by?"

If she's hurting too much for Captain Tightpants, serious action may be required.

[heatherandsteel]

"No, he dropped off his jacket but he's been staying away. She hasn't asked for him though she almost smiled when the jacket came back. Raj said that he's chosen to give her space for a little while,"

Their relationship is weird but Tybalt also knows how to get Toby going and he watches over her when she lets him.

[salty_witch]

"Well, it's good she had a reaction. Tell May I'll be by tomorrow around breakfast and I'm taking Toby with me."

Of course breakfast time for Fae is twilight.

[heatherandsteel]

"She did and I will. Cupcakes? I think they have one that involves maple and bacon,"

Some of the tenseness leaves his shoulders, he knew the Luidaeg would know how to help Toby.

[salty_witch]

"That sounds delicious or vile, I can't decide which. This, of course, means I have to try it."

Once they get their cupcakes and are seated again, she asks, "And how are you? Before you say it, I'm not accepting fine as an answer."

[heatherandsteel]

He doesn't answer at first instead focusing on making sure he doesn't lose any of the maple cream that's inside the cupcake,

"Kind of tired. Everything happened so fast and now I don't know how to help Toby. The Queen didn't think of her people at all and suddenly we were all pawns, it was wrong."

[salty_witch]

"Some would say she has every right to do so. That the people are pawns for the fate of the realm," Luidaeg replies, testing the waters a little.

[heatherandsteel]

"No, its the monarch's duty to the land and its people to keep them safe,"

He knows that in his blood, that's how it should be.

[salty_witch]

"Easy kid," she says while drawing pictish swirls in the moisture of her diet coke can. Almost immediately there's a brief chill and the scent of saltwater as the music from the band swirls around them and then forms a sort of ward. "And careful with that kind of talk. Royals that believe they are owed, like the Bitch of the Mists, tend to call that treason. I'm glad you feel that way though."

[heatherandsteel]

When he tastes her magic, he looks over to her and he pales slightly, "Yes, sorry."

With her he feels safe but he knows that the Queen is dangerous. He's never forgotten the feel of the iron in her dungeons.

[salty_witch]

"Just promise me you'll be careful. Don't want to lose you to some idiots attempts at garnering favor." She replies with a sardonic smile. He is valuable, no doubt about that, but he's also come to be someone she cares about; and that is a rare enough thing. "For what it's worth, I agree with you. Unfortunately, there are too many nobles who don't. Foolish, narrow-minded fuck-wits."

[heatherandsteel]

"No, I don't want that to happen. I know and I'm not going to be another one,"

He sighs and leans back, there's so much wrong and its hard to know what he can do.

[salty_witch]

Luidaeg doesn't reply but gives a slight smile. She knows the kid's heart is in the right place, she just hopes things don't wear him down.

"Good to hear," she says finally. "Now if we could figure out how to weed out the other self sighted nobles, Faerie might be a place worth living in."

[heatherandsteel]

"Yeah, I don't know how to do that yet,"

Maybe he'll figure it out when he's older.

[salty_witch]

She leans over to bump shoulders...well, her shoulder to his bicep. When did he get so tall?

"We got plenty of time for that. For now, let's hit that cupcake truck before all the salted caramel is gone."