07.02a: Moonlight Walk

[misfit]

Harrune lays his hand on Alaror's shoulder. "Have I told you recently how cute you are when you're embarrassed? You do owe me a story though...later."

He turns back to Asai. "The problem is that Ossian has had power long enough that he knows what is useful and what is not...or at least he has his own definitions of what is useful and what is not. He won't settle for anything less than something he considers to be important...very important. Perhaps he'll be good enough to volunteer for something. At least that way I know it will be something he considers worth doing."

"In some ways this would be easier if we were all Cani. We would compete for the various tasks and roles by proving that we were the most capable. That way the best suited gets the position. In this case it may be more about appeasing an ego than going with our strengths. But I know he has been hurt by this, and I need to do what I can to lessen that hurt."

[ShadowOfPreservation]

Their meeting with Dworkin concluded, Lyra and Rasanam descend the spiral staircase from the observatory and emerge onto a landing, seemingly suspended in midair several dozen feet above the courtyard of Tir'Na Nog'th and the Hanging Gardens.

Voices drift up from below, words discernible to her keen elven ears despite the breeze and running water. Below, Harrune and 2 other canines that are speaking with Asai. Lyra can't help but smile as the image conjures fond memories of her friends back home. Still holding Rasanam's hand, she follows her husband down a series of stones that hang suspended in the air, forming a floating staircase or sorts, until the reach the larger platform where the others are speaking.

"Good evening everyone" Lyra says in greeting, her purple eyes sparkling in the moonlight. "'Tis a beautiful evening. I hope we're not interrupting."

[Veyska]

"A welcome interruption, I suspect, coming as it does in the middle of a demonstration of the myriad ways the same thought can be rephrased back and forth without any real progress being made. Round and round in circles and the professors back where I grew up could keep a forum going for hours like that but I honestly don't see how..." Her rueful smile takes any possible sting out of the words as she bobs a cheerful greeting to the two newcomers.

[Rasanam]

"I think that's a professor thing," Rasanam comments. "When you have to repeat the same things time and again for different students, well, it can get a bit boring if you don't find some way to interject a bit of variety..."

((Continued from Moonlight Tea.))

[misfit]

"And sometimes you circle around a problem just looking for a new way to get a grip on it. I think I've done enough of that. And as you have pointed out Asai, it is my problem to deal with. Again, your insights are appreciated."

[Joshua]

Fillane will whisper to Harrune. "Then, my husband, it seems Dworkin is free. You should go and ask your questions. Understanding what he thought of the challenge will at least put your mind at ease. Whoever you need tonight will be here when you return."

She will smile and address the others. "You must be Lyra and Rasanam. Have you had a formal tour of the gardens yet? I would love to act as your guide until my husband returns. Asai, you are, as always, welcome as well. Perhaps we can find something to properly interest you. I did find the most lovely mint plants in my last walk."

(Note: Catnip is in the mint family.)

[ShadowOfPreservation]

Lyra smiles back warmly. "That's us. A pleasure to meet you. I think we should have some time yet before I'm missed too badly in Ht'Gon. A tour sounds nice." Lyra looks to Harrune and offers a quick "Good luck!" before he heads off.

[misfit]

"Thank you both. Enjoy the gardens. Now if you'll excuse me..." Harrune bows and heads off to the tower

[Rasanam]

Rasanam echoes Lyra's "Good luck!" to the departing Harrune.

"The gardens are quite impressive - not just for the plants, though; simply getting to some of the platforms is a puzzle in and of itself - the higher you go, the more the bridges shift around. That one in particular," he points at the topmost platform, where Tir'na Nog'th's pattern lies, "requires a particularly complicated path to reach." A few moments later, the platform in question ripples and vanishes as a cloud scuds across in front of the moon, and Rasanam adds, "Not that visiting it tonight would be in any way a good idea."

((If there are any platforms Fillane hasn't been able to get to, there's an unspoken offer here to find a path to them. Of course, Rasanam isn't making that offer explicit - because doing so would imply he didn't think she could get to all of them, which would be a minor insult - regardless of whether or not it was true.))

[Veyska]

((Playing a bit of catch-up, was vaguely off-kilter day and couldn't think of anything worthwhile to post.))

"Tch..." Asai looks faintly cross as Harrune walks away, but a faint wrinkling of the muzzle and a ear-snapping shake of her head seem to be all that's necessary to restore her usual good mood*. In response to Fillane's comment about mint, she responds, "While I do enjoy its smell and taste, mint and its like are largely just that to me. Well, that and an occasional source of shenanigans when I give some to the palace cats. It never really affected me that much even when I was younger and less... me, but after that incident back in my home shadow when a bunch of senior students tried to whip up a magical still most intoxicants just don't hold much interest anymore. Took me a week to come down off that drunken high, after it exploded, and they ended up having to demolish that entire dormitory and then vaporize its wreckage before they could get the time-warping effects to stop and even then they never could safely store beverages there for fear they'd spontaneously begin fermenting..."

(*And yes, this goes for the Cani as well. It's not just visually gone.)