Caught out in Milliways

[heatherandsteel]

It had been a long night with a tiring session with Etienne then going to Goldengreen to check in with Toby and see how she's doing.

After that, no one was free to give him a ride back so he decided to take a bus back to Toby's apartment. He should be able to make it before dawn without a problem and later he could tell Toby, she would like that he'd taken the bus.

The bus driver hadn't blinked at the leaves he'd made seem like coins and it was quiet until they broke down a few blocks from Toby's place and he could feel dawn pressing down.

He quickly got out and made his way into the park, but the trees changed and then dawn hit and he held onto a tree and tried to remember how to breath.

Comments

[heatherandsteel]

"I do and I'm not as tired. What were you doing out here?"

He should put his disguise back up, now that he can, but he'll wait until he goes someplace with other people.

[the_lioness]

She's glad he hasn't. It's nice, seeing him like this.

"I come here to think sometimes. It's difficult to get a moment alone at the palace."

Especially when you're the Prince's squire.

[heatherandsteel]

"Yeah, I can see how that could be. There's always a lot of people at court and you have to watch what you say and do. Its nice here,"

Saying that shouldn't give anything away, he's a page and courts are courts.

[the_lioness]

Courts are courts, but Quentin hadn't mentioned much of anything about that before.

"You speak from experience?"

Beat.

"About the courts."

Clarification seems necessary, lest he decide to be a smart ass; that whole similarity to Jon thing makes her cautious.

[heatherandsteel]

"Yes, I do. I'm a page and a foster at the Duchy of Shadowed Hills,"

Its been too long a night and morning for him to be a smart-ass and she helped him, though he does smirk as he says, "Now you know all my secrets."

The look in his eyes is serious but she hasn't run or tried to kill him with iron.

[the_lioness]

Alanna laughs, a surprisingly husky sound.

"Oh, I very much doubt that."

Looking forward, she digs her fingers into the dirt and lets it trickle back to the ground like a little kid.

"You're old for a page. In Tortall, at least." She glances at him. "Do you like it there?"

[heatherandsteel]

"True, its fun being mysterious. I'm going to be squired soon. I even know which knight, I just need to make sure it happens without a problem. I do,"

He needs to make certain that Duke Torquill and Toby will help, he knows his parents approve.

[the_lioness]

"It sounds as if you are selecting the knight, not the other way around."

She has to smirk. Often Alanna finds other worlds work quite differently than her own. It gives her hope, in a way. Still, imagining it as anyone other than the knight's choice is... startling.

(Just wait until she has to select her own.)

[heatherandsteel]

"I am. I mean I'll ask the Duke's permission and hers, but Toby needs me as her squire, she just doesn't know it yet. How does it work for you? Were you assigned?"

That would make sense and he knows that's how it works. He's seen enough squires go to knights, but he's doing what he can to make the system work here.

[the_lioness]

Alanna freezes.







"Your knight is... a woman?"

Forgive her, Quentin. The questions will keep.

[heatherandsteel]

The way Alan freezes up isn't good and Quentin faces her then frowns as he can taste some of that purple magic in the air,

"Will be, but yes. Alan, are you still doing magic?"

[the_lioness]

In fact, it is good; Alanna loves hearing about places that let women do what they want. It's just that it reminds her how much is at stake in her own life.

"What? No. Quentin," she says more slowly, "is that really allowed?"

Faithful chooses that moment to put in an appearance, peering up at Quentin with his otherworldly gaze.

[heatherandsteel]

"Of course its allowed and Toby earned her knighthood and keeps earning it. But your magic is there,"

When Faithful appears, he glances down but keeps looking at Alanna and trying to make sense of what he can sense. Its incredibly subtle.

[the_lioness]

Alanna frowns, following his gaze to Faithful. She stares at her cat for a moment, vaguely curious where he's been, and answers,

"No, it's not. I mean, it is, but I'm not actively using it. Our Gift is tied to our life force. I can't use too much or I pass out."

She brushes it off, turning to what really matters.

"I don't doubt she has. I'm... glad for her. And you. It's just that only noble sons are allowed to train for knighthood in Tortall."

[heatherandsteel]

"Weird. Toby's a Changeling, so normally she wouldn't be a knight, but Duke Torquill made her one and she's a good one. She's a Countess too, but she doesn't like having that title. Knights don't have to be titled or pureblood, they just normally are,"

Toby's taught him a lot about how things normally are isn't always how they should be.

[the_lioness]

"What does Changeling mean in your world?"

Beat.

"Is she good with a sword?"

She must be. All knights are, right?

[heatherandsteel]

"Her father was human and her mother was Fae. No, she's not at all, but she's good with knives and blood, sort of,"

Toby knows how to read and understand blood.

[the_lioness]

"I have no idea what being good with blood means, unless it's that she's good at spilling it. Or cleaning it up after."

She smiles, but there's still a far away look in her eye like half her mind is turned to something else.

"Fae?"

[heatherandsteel]

"Well, she is good at that but its more about understanding it. Knowing how to ride the blood and understand what its saying. Yes, that's what I am. I'm a Daoine Sidhe. Are you okay?"

Maybe he's gone too far.

[the_lioness]

His question startles her. Alanna's eyes meet his in an almost uncomfortably close look, wide and bright with emotion. She'd been listening, but she'd also been wondering about so much.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

Maybe she'd been too obvious. Goddess, why isn't she better about keeping her guard up here?

"I was trying to figure out what you meant about the blood talking to your knight."

[heatherandsteel]

Her look isn't good and he leans forward a bit,

"I can think of a couple of reasons why you might be uncomfortable around me. I mean Fae don't have the best reputation and I lied to you before and I'm a blood worker."

[the_lioness]

"Again, I don't know what that means," Alanna points out, "but I am quite capable of looking after myself."

Faithful has climbed into her lap and curled up, watching Quentin closely during all this. Protecting his person.

"And I've probably told worse lies," his person mutters.

[heatherandsteel]

"Blood holds who we are, memories and magic. My race of Fae and Toby's, we can sense all of what's in blood and use it. I remember when we were investigating some murders, the woman who did it, she called us corpse-lickers. Toby's not really one but still. How? I lied about almost everything except for my name and where I'm from,"

Quentin sighs and rubs his shoulder, he's saying this all wrong, he wants Alan to like him, to be his friend. Alan makes him think of Raj who gets so much even though he's lying to Raj too, but that's part of a blind fosterage, "Faithful, I'm not going to do anything, I promise. If I do, you're free to scratch me as I probably deserve it."

[the_lioness]

Faithful accepts this explanation as his due, closing first one eye, then the other for a nap. Knowing her cat, however, Alanna suspects he's still listening.

And so is she. Her excitement at the idea of a woman knight has faded somewhat, the ease with which it does so a product of her time in Milliways. She bites her lip again as she considers the implication of being able to use blood in such a way as Quentin has described.

"I don't think I'd want my enemies to be able to do that," she says mildly, at last, giving him a smile. As for his lies, "Does it matter? You've shown me the truth now."

Her eyes flick to his ears.

His answer seems important to her.

"Quentin, why did you ask me about my magic? What did you sense?"

[heatherandsteel]

"I think it does. You helped me a lot today and you didn't have to. I owed you more of the truth," Debts are important as is the truth though both always seem to come with strings attached.

He looks at her, trying to make sense of what he feels of her magic, "Its almost like a don't-look-here, a hint of your magic but it doesn't want me to look at it."