Reality Fault - Starfall: Logs for 13June2001

Command Crew Cabin of the Saucy Mare
The cabin is cramped and small, but well-equipped with the luxury of a tiny fold-down table and two chairs. One side wall sports two tight, inset bunks and a locker apiece. There's the added luxury of a porthole window, and a tiny lantern swings slowly back and forth overhead with the ship's movement. Tiny touches have been added to make the place more homey... bits of carving on one of the lockers, a prism by the window that scatters rainbows when it's sunny, a pretty lace fan on one wall.

Alex has been giving the situation some thought... and she's pretty sure it's a little wrong that she should have a batman or cabin boy, but the captain should not. True, the captain of the Saucy Mare is far better than the first mate at always looking elegant and presentable... but still, Alex, thinks, it's the principle of the thing! Carroll should have a batman, or a steward, or whatever the proper term for it is.

Alex considers the options... then nods firmly to herself. The captain really should have someone full-time, just as she, Alex, does with Pablito. That means anyone aboard the ship who has a job already is a bit too busy to be doing this properly. Well... hm. Except Rosita... since the siblings are learning Boveyan, she doesn't really have a job so far, aside from learning magic... and Pablito has numerous lessons he's currently taking as well, yet still does an excellent job for Alex. Hm... Rosita would be perfect too -- she'd compliment Carroll's skills nicely!

On the other hand, Alex thinks, I don't want her to feel pressured... she should have the option of accepting the position, not feel she must do this... so... got it! I'll ask her and Pablito to keep an eye out for someone suitable to do the job! That way if she wants it she can just say so, and if she doesn't, I'll still have her capable aid in finding someone to help Carroll! Alex soon thereafter asks Rosita and Pablito to her cabin, and explains her predicament to them -- how she feels it's inappropriate that the captain not have a steward, but she doesn't know who to ask to fill the position. Do either of them know anyone they think could do the job?

Pablo thinks about this, then goes into a rapid discussion with Rosita in Boveyan. The rapidity and the different accents make it difficult for Alex to track their discussion. Rosita finally nods and turns back to the vixen. "Thees would be like Pablito's duties, si? Assistance with clothing, taking care of his cabin, these things?"

Alex nods hopefully, "Exactly! Um... do you have a suggestion?"

Pablo looks at Rosita again, who nods at him. He looks nervous about being the spokesman, but says, "We theenk perhaps he should ask Juanita. She ees good with clotheeng, and ees not that happy weeth doing sails, señorita."

Alex tilts her head thoughtfully, considering for a moment... then brightens, "Really? Do you think she'd enjoy that more? That would be excellent if so!" She looks a bit concerned at a sudden thought, "Um... Rosita... if you don't mind my asking, are you and the rest of your sisters happy?"

Rosita nods at the first question, and smiles at the second. "Oh, si, señorita. We are learning to read, I am learning to do magic!... Sofia is learning to be a proper warrior, and Estrellita is much happier being cook than she was as barmaid. Juanita is happy, but I think thees would be even better for her."

Alex nods slowly, "Okay... good. I hadn't known Juanita's feelings, but I'm glad you told me... and I'm glad this will be better for her." She smiles, "Okay, I'll tell the captain about this, and you talk to Juanita, and he can ask her... how's that?"

They both nod. Rosita says, "This would be fine, señorita. I will tell Juanita and she can decide, si?"

Don Carlos is only able to make it to the new estate two or three mornings a week for practice, but he makes the most of these times, staying for lunch and sometimes into the afternoon. Today he did better on defense than usual, but at the expense of his offense. He bows to Alex as they both head for the dining room. "You are steell my teacher on the practeece field, Sir Alex. How ees eet you are so skeelled when you are so young and beauteeful?"

Alex blinks a bit startledly -- then laughs! "Well... I guess it was because I didn't want to do anything else when I was just a little kid?" Ruefully she adds, "I must have been a real pain to be around... waving big sticks and insisting I be taught sword-work or I'd whack 'em a good one across the shins!" She giggles, then beams at the don, happily slipping her arm through his, "Shall we do lunch? I'm starving!" She grins wickedly, tilting her head to glance sideways up at the don and teasingly repeat his own words back to him, "Maybe it's just 'cause I'm... fickle?"

An attractive young vixen with proud bearing, she carries herself with quiet, thoughtful strength. Despite the pretty lace-trimmed silk shirt she's dressed in a decidedly non-feminine style, with snug bottle-green breeches; well-worn, quality, black riding boots; and long leather fencing gloves (finely embroidered with the house crest, of course) tucked casually into her sturdy leather belt. A plain and practical military epee (with a decidedly well used look to it) hangs at her hip, and there are two golden earrings in her left ear, won at the cost of her naivete, but honorably worn with steadfast pride. Her fur is a fiery scarlet, and she regards the world with a pensive, green-eyed gaze.

The coyote chuckles. "I theenk we should do thees lunch, yes. What are you serveeng?" He snorts in amusement at Alex claiming she's fickle. "Not eef you were so steadfast in your sword practeece as a pup. Not feeckle at all."

Alex smiles and shrugs, "No idea! But it's doubtless better than hardtack, so I'm happy!" She chuckles at the don's comment, then sniffs with dignity at him, "Oh, sure, you call me fickle when you already know I'm not... I bet you think I'm consorting too!" She giggles, then adds curiously, "So... what did you mean in regards to consorting the other night?"

Don Carlos looks puzzled. "Ees that not the phrase? Consorteeng weeth the enemy? Meaning..." He fumbles for the non-idiomatic version of the expression. "...being friendly weeth someone who should be an enemy?"

Alex says, "Oh, okay." She grins, "No, you used the phrase correctly then... I just wasn't sure I understood what you were trying to say." She walks quietly next to the don for a moment, then looks up at him thoughtfully, "You said it was sometimes a struggle not to be jealous too. I... wasn't sure what you meant there either...?"

Carlos sighs. "Eet ees not fair of me to expect you to behave like someone from my homeland... you were brought up to be more open, more eempulseeve, more alive... and when you do theengs weeth other men I feel jealous, though I should not."

Alex looks honestly confused, "Dancing? But why would dancing make someone feel jealous?" She struggles with the completely alien concept, then finally hazards a guess at something that might comfort the don, "Um... Don Carlos, you do realize you're the only person courting me, yes? -and that I um..." the tips of her ears turn a little pink, "-er... well, that I seem to chase most folks off?"

The coyote nods. "Si. I do not understand why thees ees, but I know eet. I theenk that eet ees not so much that you chase them off as eet ees that you do not suffer fools gladly." Alex smiles a little ruefully... then tilts her head to look hopefully up at the don as she walks -- she's quite interested in any explanation she can get of jealousy from the don.

"But thees ees not what you asked. Jealousy... ees all too common een Costa Yermo. Men and women both, who eenseest that their spouse pay no attention to anyone but themselves. Childeesh, really, I am theenkeeng, and eet leads to violence all too often... for not wanteeng thees then becomes not alloweeng thees, wheech leads to attempts to force thees idea."

Alex looks a bit shocked, "How... unpleasant! Are you saying they can't dance or have fun with anyone but their spouses?" She looks worried, her ears wrinkled back as she thinks... then finally she says in a small voice, "No balls in Costa Yermo?"

Carlos chuckles at this last plaintive question, though he tries not to. "Oh, we have grand balls, Sir Alex... but ees not the tango merely jealousy given form? I am not sayeeng thees ees how everyone theenks, but there are enough who do to make theengs... exciting at times."

Alex sighs at herself, thinking, Oh, don't be so childish! There must be something they do for fun! She ponders a moment, then adds wistfully, "Can people at least go horseback riding together?"

Carlos nods. "Riding ees not so bad. Normally there ees a chaperone eef one ees needed."

Alex says thoughtfully, "'Jealousy given form'... what an odd thing to say! I would have said it was fun, or affection, or maybe even love given form... but jealousy? Isn't that just a painful and negative feeling? I know I don't feel that at all when I dance the tango." She looks rather puzzledly up at the don, "Is... that what you were feeling, the last two times we danced it?"

The coyote shrugs. "Jealousy ees negateeve, by eetself. The tango ees a way to deefuse thees, I theenk, makeeng theengs easier to deal weeth."

Alex looks utterly baffled, "But... isn't jealousy based on wanting to keep something all to yourself? A form of greed, right? So... how could it be associated with love at a- oh!" She blinks at a sudden new thought, "Oh my. Oh, I think I understand now... they really mean it when they say women are thought of like property in Costa Yermo! -and that's why they're all jealous there -- someone else is having fun with their... 'property'!" She thinks about that for a moment... and then the ramifications of what that truly means hits her, and her fur stands up in horror, "Oh my goddess! Oh, that's horrible! How could they do that to each other?!"

Carlos shrugs again. "Eet ees seemply the way theengs have always been. Everyone ees used to eet... unteel they see how sometheeng else works."

An even worse thought hits Alex, and she stops in her tracks, appalled. A moment later she stares at the don, her eyes still wide with shock, "They... they're going to think I'm property -- aren't they? They're going to think I belong to you!"

The coyote turns serious. "Thees ees yet another reason we need you, Sir Alex... not just for myself, but as an example of how theengs can be."

Alex just stares at the don, her jaw still dropped, and her fur still bristled up, in horror -- she's momentarily speechless. She can't think of any more horrible fate than being 'owned' -- in a country full of insane people who hate each other and consider each other no more than property -- and she'd thought only the prince was mad?! She takes a step back, one hand coming up to her mouth and the other falling naturally on the pommel of her rapier... then suddenly whirls and dashes down the hallway, as if she could flee the very concept of something that twisted and perverse.

Carlos is shocked, calling after her, "Alexandra!? What ees wrong?"

Alex pauses around the corner, still shocked, but now more with herself, than at the don's words... what just happened there? Why did she panic? She yanks her mental self together with frightened determination, even though her tail and fur is still fluffed up. Sternly she snarls at herself, You're not under attack! What are you afraid of?! It takes a moment of concentration... and then the unwanted thought comes drifting... she's afraid of being thought of as property. True, she's the most vocal of her siblings in wanting to render service to her people... true, aside from Horatio, of all her siblings she's set her sights on someone relatively low ranking... but she'd still hoped to do some good, to embody somewhat the precepts of noblesse oblige that her family so strongly espouses... but what good can she do anyone if no one will listen? -and, more horrible thought... will the don change somehow, once he's back in his homeland? What assurance does she have that he won't then also start thinking of her as 'his'?

Carlos catches up as she stops. "Alexandra? What ees wrong?"

Alex looks up at the don from where she's leaning against the wall. Her tail is still fluffed up in alarm, but she has herself mostly under control now. Her smile is only a little shaky as she replies, "Uhmm... uh... nothing, I was just... uh, thinking..."

The coyote snorts. "Eef thees ees theenkeeng, you should not do eet too often. You were frightened of sometheeng. Sometheeng to do weeth my homeland, I must assume."

Alex looks away hastily, her ears back in slightly defensive embarrassment, "I'm... sorry. I just... I apologize." She steps away from the wall and straightens, smoothing down her shirt and adjusting her sword belt to give herself something to do to recover. Politely she says, "I, ah... would you care to continue to lunch?" A bit unhappily she wonders... how do you politely ask someone if they'll be a jerk or not, if you marry them?!

Carlos bows. "Of course. But... you must tell me what was so frighteneeng. Eet may be a seemple meesunderstandeeng, si? Or perhaps not, but sometheeng that could be feexed?"

Alex opens her mouth to politely demur... then pauses, sighing softly to herself. Her father was always very open with her mother, according to him. If she can't be honest right now with the don... when will she start? She looks down at her belt buckle, absently fiddling with it, "I... I really am sorry, Don Carlos, I... sort of, um, over-reacted, I guess..." She looks up, her ears tilted unhappily, "But... well, maybe you can tell me. How can you help someone if they won't even listen to you? -if they think you're just..." she shudders slightly, but determinedly keeps speaking, "-just property?"

Carlos opens his mouth to protest such a characterization, then stops... "Eet seems so harsh to you? Perhaps you are right. But I theenk eet ees not so bad..." His eyes look troubled, though. "Thees ees not sometheeng that weell be said about you, however. Not more than once, I am theenkeeng."

Alex stamps her foot impatiently, feeling the absurd rise of panic again and forcing it back down determinedly, "No! Don't you understand?! If they think like that -- they'll say it behind my back! Behind our backs!" She hesitates, still staring a bit wide-eyed with horror up at the don... and then her ears flatten in spite of herself, and she blurts out, "I... what do I do if -- if you end up believing them?!" Abruptly she covers her mouth with both small paws, horrified at the way that came out. The weirdly detached, observing part of her mind notes dryly, Going for smooth and subtle conversational techniques again, I see...

Carlos reaches out, one paw gently touching Alex's muzzle and urging her to look up and meet his eyes. "I have been Ambassador to the League for nearly two years, Sir Alex. Een that time, I have heard all manner of deleeberate lies, self-serving omeessions, rumor, calumny, evasion, and gosseep. Een all the time seence Maria died, you are the one woman who has attracted me, weeth your beauty of soul and grace of body and strength of speereet. I promeese you, I would never allow such theengs to affect my opeeneeon of you."

He snorts then. "Besides, they might be offended by your views, but they would not admeet to themselves that they weesh to own their women, and the women weell not admeet to themselves that they are owned. You will force them to theenk about why you are not ladylike by their standards, and the young girls weell follow you as a hero." The coyote looks a little shame-faced. "Eet was hard enough for me to realize what my homeland truly ees. They weell not weesh to know thees... but they must, else they weell not change."

Alex watches intently as Don Carlos speaks, too worried to even give a proper response to his beautiful compliment to her. When he finishes speaking she sighs softly, looking away for a moment. She's... going to have to think about this long and hard. After all, the last thing she needs to be doing is flying off the handle any time someone talks in a way she doesn't care for. Her ears droop a bit as it hits her -- even if she does have Don Carlos firmly and permanently on her side, this is going to be no cakewalk.

Alex finally looks back at the don, still troubled but not just this side of panicky any more. She takes a deep breath, then says steadily, "Shall we continue to lunch?" She'll turn to walk with the don. Honesty compels her to quietly continue, "I... don't know if I'm really a hero, Don Carlos. I... what you're describing sounds like it needs someone amazingly strong... I don't know if I'm that strong."

Carlos offers his arm. "You are stronger than you know, I theenk. But there ees no rush. Let us have lunch."

The dining room also has not yet been properly furnished -- the siblings were concentrating on the public areas for the party and haven't gotten to the rest of it yet. Trestle tables are set up with benches, but nothing fancy is in place yet. Horatio and Carroll are seated with the Count when Alex and Don Carlos walk in from arms practice, arm in arm.

Carroll smiles, and says, "Don Carlos, welcome. I am sorry about the somewhat unfinished state of the furnishings, but I am pleased you have chosen to join us today."

The fox you're looking at, Carroll Waynewright St. Genevieve, seems completely at ease in the uniform that denotes him Captain of a ship. His vest, a rich scarlet velvet trimmed in gold and embroidered with the family crest, covers a yellow under-tunic. He wears a pair of rust-colored breeches which reveal, through their dags and slashes, soft yellow hose. Completing the outfit is a feathered, rust velvet, rolled hat, which he wears with style and casual elegance. His russet fur seems to glow with life, the white under his muzzle and the flash at the end of his full tail standing out against the red-brown of his jacket and breeches, which blend well with his own fur. He wears a pin at his breast, of sparkling gold and a few tiny diamonds, the pentacle and sword both the family's crest and note of his station. Gold cufflinks and watch-chain gleam subtly from his sleeves and vest, while his rapier hangs at his side.

Alex's tail is slightly fluffed, as if from alarm, and she looks a bit tense... but she's got her ears neatly and politely up as she walks in, nodding and smiling slightly to her brothers. This is the more remarkable because for the last few days for some reason Alex has been in an almost insufferably good mood... humming, bouncing around everywhere, and frighteningly perky! She... seems to have gotten over that now... Carroll gives Alex a brief, questioning look, but doesn't press an issue in front of guests, even Don Carlos.

Horatio looks up to the doorway, nibbling on a breakfast roll, and manages to conceal his surprise or shock. Great Fires! Alex arm-in-arm with someone? That's... well... new! Then he notices her tail, and arches an eyebrow inquiringly. She isn't forthcoming with comment, however, so he respects that. He remembers to swallow, and nods pleasantly. "Good morning, Alex, Don Carlos!"

Well, he stands a bit shy of five and a half feet tall, and has some noble features about him. That seems to be where nobility left him and had done with him, though. A pair of bright, pale blue eyes peer out (and sometimes squint) at the world around him from behind a pair of spectacles. He also walks a little awkwardly, though you notice his drooping tail is held motionless behind him, as if he was concerned he would turn his back and accidentally swipe an experiment in his workshop. He wears a tabard and cloak in the colors of the St. Genevieve family, as well as somewhat rough (and slightly singed) clothing fitting for a nobleman's younger son. A sword-belt is cinched around his waist as well, with a scabbard in the hangar, though he seems to carry the small sword with not a great deal of dexterity. However, it is with somewhat more grace that he carries a well-worn satchel, its strap crossed over his chest like a bandolier. You get the impression that he has a lot more little items tucked away in the folds and pockets of his tabard, cloak, clothing, and boots.

The coyote is dressed in less formal attire himself today, riding breeches with high boots, a ruffled shirt, and a string tie. He bows to the Count first, and then to the others. "Good day to you, Your Excellency, Capitán." He nods to Horatio as well, not leaving him out of the greetings. "I trust you are all well today?"

Alex gives her father a quick good-morning hug, then settles on a bench nearby, almost absent-mindedly filching a roll from her father's plate as she does so. She eats it neatly and efficiently, in quick, nervous bites, while she waits for more food to be brought. Carroll smiles quietly at Alex's casual commandeering of food, but doesn't say anything. He looks to Don Carlos and says, "So far, quite well. A lot of little details to consider with the house to properly dress."

Count Timothy just smiles to himself as his daughter steals his food... again... and nods to the servers, who bring Alex and Carlos plates and Timothy a replacement roll. Alex pauses in eating the roll to look around, as if the condition of the house has just now struck her. Benches, tables, what more do they nee- oh, right... gotta look right. She sighs softly, and hopes no one expects her to do any decorating. She brightens at the food, smiling her thanks and noting hopefully to herself that maybe Carroll will do all the interior planning stuff -- that'd be nice! Maybe if she stayed out in the stables a lot -- then they might forget to ask her anything about it at all!

Carlos nods. "Si. A new household can be quite exhausting to set up."

Carroll says, "True. I've been doing most of it, so that Father can concentrate on the meeting with the other Ambassadors, as well. That may produce some interesting results, but I haven't heard anything yet." He looks at his father, as if now would be a fine time to expand on that subject.

Alex looks in sudden interest at the don, "You've done things like that before? You... like setting up households?"

He grins. "I cannot say I like eet, but I have done thees. I had to redo the Embassy when I arrived, after all. The previous occupant had... shall we say, appropreeated the furnisheengs when he left? Een your case, I do not theenk you weell need to deeg any secret tunnels, though."

Carroll chuckles, "Perhaps we don't need to, but maybe we should anyway." Horatio blinks. The previous ambassador made off with everything? Gosh... is that common among ambassadors? Seems kind of extreme... He nods once to Carroll. Ah... well, wonder if I can do for the estate here what I did for the Saucy Mare... sans hidden ballistae, of course!

Alex looks thoughtful, then nods quietly, thinking, Well, it could be better -- he could actually enjoy all the things I don't like doing -- but this isn't too bad. At least he's done it himself before -- maybe he wouldn't even think to ask me at all! -er, if we ever had to set up a household together, that is... She pauses, then says interestedly, "How on earth did you secretly dig tunnels so no one noticed?"

The Count shrugs. "T'kee arrives this afternoon, so we're all here. We shall see what comes of the meeting, though I do not know that we will be able to convince the other northern cities that a forceful response is necessary at this point."

Carroll says, "A forceful response? Is that considered a viable option? Who would mount the force, and where would it be dispatched?"

Alex blinks startledly at her father, "Er... forceful? Um... how forceful are we talking about, Daddy?" A little wryly it occurs to her that all her worries about being thought property could be rendered totally moot, if the don were stripped of his titles by the mad prince. She frowns... that would be a terrible thing to do to someone responsible.

Don Carlos smiles. "Very carefully, very slowly, and weeth a great deal of deefeeculty." He thinks about it, and shrugs. "Magecraft, mostly."

Alex's head swivels, this time to blink at the don, "So you do do magic?! I'd wondered!" Then she covers her mouth in sudden dismay, "Oh drat! I blurted that out, didn't I... and if you've been trying to hide it, I..." her ears droop and she finishes glumly, "-blew it." Horatio blinks, flicking his ears slightly, glancing between Alex and Don Carlos. Alex sighs, staring exasperatedly at her plate. This just has not been a good afternoon so far!

Count Timothy shrugs. "Not military, not at this stage. There's not enough proof. What we should do is drastically increase spending on counterespionage, and send a delegation to Costa Yermo to demand an explanation. That could lead to trade reductions, though, so I don't think it'll happen..." He sighs. "It's like trying to herd cats, sometimes..."

Carroll looks curiously at his somewhat glum looking sister, but again feels this is not the time or place to ask. Without fully looking at his father, he asks, "Would it really impact trade any farther? The pirates in that area have already done that fairly effectively, haven't they?" He finally looks all the way at his father, and asks, "Or have I out of date information?"

Don Carlos looks totally nonplussed. "I? I am not a mage, Sir Alex. I brought one weeth me from my home and sent her back when she was feeneeshed."

Alex's ears come back up, and she says in some relief, "You're not? Oh, good! I thought maybe your energy levels were just a little bit higher than normal because you might be trying to hide it!" She beams cheerfully at the don, then starts eating her breakfast hungrily. Carroll thinks, Or, he's lying to cover your slip, little sister. But, there's no need to bring that point home now.

The Count taps his muzzle, thinking. "The primary trade convoys still go in twice a year. What's been ended by the pirates are the individual trading ships and the coastwise trade along Boveya, from Cabreda and Ostwald around to Costa Yermo."

Carroll sighs, then says, "So, everyone is afraid of any slight to the prince, lest he stop the convoys all together? They'll take his ill-gotten money, but won't do anything to actually improve their own business, or the lot of the people who he seems to so badly abuse?" Realizing, he says, "Oh. I'm sorry, Don Carlos, I wasn't thinking. I hope you aren't slighted by my unhappiness with how the people of Costa Yermo seem to have been treated." He smiles in apparent embarrassment, watching the Don's reaction closely.

Alex pauses thoughtfully... then her eyes narrow and she turns to look at her father again. Softly she says, "Not enough proof of what, Daddy?"

The Count looks up. "Not enough proof that Iago was behind what's happened."

Alex studies her father thoughtfully... then says curiously, "What precisely are we saying has happened, Daddy?" She nips up a tasty forkful off her father's plate as she waits for him to reply.

The Count looks at Alex. "The kidnapping and the assassination attempts, of course. What else?"

Carlos just nods, a bit unhappily to Carroll. "Your seester has told me some of what you learned een the Tejado del Mundo. I fear that your characterization ees all too often correct."

Carroll nods, internally satisfied, but saying, "It must be a very difficult position to be in, Don Carlos. As far as I see it, the Prince is hurting himself and his position. The traders, by continuing to do business with him and not resolving this issue, are really only helping in making the situation worse. It's rather shortsighted of all the parties involved."

Horatio interjects, "The necromantic gate lead to Ciudad Draco, Father. That's fairly damning. I mean, I don't think something like that can just be set up and ignored in any capitol city..." He falls silent, not really knowing the magical mechanics of gates, least of all those using necromancy.

Alex glances over at the don curiously, her ears tilted to catch the unhappiness in his tone. She gives him a small, sympathetic smile, then turns back to her father, nodding, "Okay... so we're assuming he'll just say that the magical gate to his capital city was someone else, yes? And we've still no idea who the former viscount's silent partner is?"

Timothy nods. "That's about the size of it, yes. And it's quite possible that he'd be telling the truth, too. I'm thinking that we should be watching to see how much scrambling there is to find the other terminus if and when we confront him with this."

Carroll asks, "Other terminus?"

Alex's ears go up in sudden fascination, "So, we are going to confront him with it then? Do we know for sure where in the city the other gate is?!" She wows softly under her breath, "That should be an exciting trip for whomever goes!"

Carroll ahs! "Of the gate in Ciudad Draco. You expect him not to know? Hasn't it been closed?"

Horatio shivers slightly. "I hope nobody goes. To get the gate working would mean... finding passages for it."

Alex glances at Horatio, bright-eyed with interest, "Only to open it, Horry, remember? Exiting through it doesn't require a death. And the one here has been modified too, remember?"

Carroll comments dryly, "And here we've gotten rid of Westmark already, too. Pity." At his brother's horrified look, he says, "Someone said something to me about changing the power source to something a little less hideous. I don't remember the details."

Alex gives her eldest brother an exasperatedly amused look when he teases poor Horatio, then nods, "Right. They didn't say before what kind of energy source it was, though... just that it would happen." She grins mischievously at her father, "I know how to figure out where it is, and maybe even if the prince knows, Daddy -- use it!" Her grin gets more wider as she adds cheerfully, "Terribly dangerous, but effective, don't you think?"

Horatio says, "But to exit it, you need to open it..." He sighs, rubbing his brow. "Sorry... you're right, Alex, it's been modified... and I hope you're right, Carroll." He doesn't even really register Carroll's quip about Westmark. "That sort of magic... we talked about it at the Academy but it's... ack, I can't even really explain it, so I won't try..." He blinks to Alex. "And if it leads right to, say, West Wing Guard Room, Royal Palace, Ciudad Draco?"

The Count just twitches an ear at his daughter. "Fairly dangerous, yes. The other end hasn't been modified, though... so how would your brave scouts get back to tell anyone?"

Carroll says, "Surely they know that the other end could be tracked to them. Why haven't they destroyed it? Do you think they can't?" I wonder if that was on some of the Westmark lands that the Queen seized from the Viscounty.

Alex grins cheerfully at Horatio, "Then you'd know for sure, Horry!" She turns to her father, adding, "Have a psychic link on them!"

The Count grimaces. "Still likely to be a suicide mission."

Carroll murrs, "If guarded. Would it be possible to send something not alive or not valuable through and trace that?"

Alex smiles a little grimly, "Actually, it would be easy, albeit in an unpleasant way... take a necromantic mage with you, and use the first slain guard."

Horatio taps his chin. "There's got to be some way to see if it's open still..." He looks to Carroll. "Certainly, just so long as the gate was open-" He looks in abject horror at Alex.

Carroll says, quietly, "I wasn't going to make the suggestion, but yes. If you don't object to using that kind of magic."

Alex smiles, "Just a thought, of course. I'm sure we'd never do that for real." She cheerfully returns to her breakfast, eating with good appetite, then adds around a mouthful of food, "'ow wong doe' it ta' to se' up?"

Horatio clears his throat, looking to Carroll. "Erm..." Then his eyes flick around the table, and he turns to his breakfast quietly.

Carroll picks up his fork, and looks for a moment at his mostly uneaten meal. He picks a bite up, and eats it, chewing thoughtfully. Once his mouth is cleared, Carroll says, "Yes, Horatio?"

Horatio looks up to Carroll. "Er... well, just... I would object. Strongly. The... the stigma of using necromancy is on everyone who benefits from it, not just the necromancer themselves." He sighs, rubbing the back of his head, wincing. "I don't imagine the Maidstone mages are having too much trouble finding a better way to empower the passage through the gate, though..."

Alex pauses, chewing thoughtfully... then swallows, "No, wait, I already know that." Her ears tilt for a moment as she considers, then she says, "Seriously, this is not the sort of thing that can be just turned off easily. A lot of energy bound into a semi-permanent set of warping gates... 'destroying' it would set off something on the order of..." She pauses, trying to imagine something big enough, then says doubtfully, "Um... if Mt. Kali were physical instead of energy? ...maybe bigger...? Shutting it down safely is as long and involved a process as setting it up in the first place." She adds in slow curiosity, "I wonder if you could make a set of three, or more, gates?"

Carroll nods and says, "I understand how you feel, Horatio. I don't think it's a viable option, myself."

Horatio seems to relax visibly, and nods to Carroll. "Thank you," he murmurs.

Alex thinks for a bit more, tapping one nail lightly on the table... then looks up, "It depends on the skills of the mages involved, and how many of them... but generally, I think it takes at least two mages to do something like that... and at least a week. So... it could be gone by now. No, wait... you have to close it down from both ends at once, that's right. So as long as we hold our end, they can't close theirs." She adds in explanation, "You need one mage at each end."

Horatio blinks to Alex. "Well... that explains why they haven't shut it down! We still have that, at least, and we don't have to worry about it becoming a gate which leads nowhere."

Carroll says, "Ah. That makes sense. I wonder, if it were changed to a less unpleasant form of energy, if it would be useful for trade." He smiles, the trader in him clearly visible.

Alex nods cheerfully to Horatio, "I wonder if changing one gate has any effect on the other?" -then goes back to eating.

Horatio says, "I don't know. Any changes... oh, dear. I hope they don't have to change it to a different way of securing passage from both ends..."

Alex adds curiously, "If all it takes is expensive ingredients, two mages, and a bit of time... I wonder why there aren't more of them?"

Horatio says, "It could very well be a matter of where the gates are. There might be... points, where they have to be. Like Mt. Kali, only much, much smaller."

Alex shakes her head, "It didn't feel like that on the ex-viscount's grounds, Horry."

Carroll hmms. "The Queen's mages will know, Horatio, before anyone uses it, I'm sure. It may be that it's unusable until a mage has worked on the far end. Even if the locations were somewhat proscribed by the needs of the mages, it would be terribly useful. A large capital outlay might produce something which, in the long term, would be much more profitable." Horatio taps his chin quietly and nods a little to his brother and to Alex.

Alex thinks a bit, then adds, "They'd have to be probably owned by the royalty of the area... but that would be extraordinarily useful!" She pauses, then adds quietly, "So... the silent partner has the wealth of... a prince... interesting..."

Horatio nods slowly to Alex, picking at his breakfast. "Probably. Most likely, in fact, I would say."

Carroll asks, "If someone were in Ciudad Draco, would it be possible to locate the other end of the gate?"

Alex says, "I... think so, Carroll." She grins cheerfully, her appetite undiminished by the conversation, "Isn't this exciting?" She offers her father a tasty nibble of roll as she grins at Horatio. She's her usual casually sharing self with breakfast and her family -- but not with the don. She's still not sure if he would consider that impolite or not... and she's still struggling with some fairly scary concepts in regards to him and Costa Yermo -- she's not sure yet she dares get that close. Just walking arm in arm is a little alarming just now, after all.

Horatio looks to Carroll, then looks to Alex. "It... should be possible. Alex... well, this end of the gate was spotted well enough when Alex was kidnapped..."

Carroll asks his Father, "If the Gate were found to be on the Prince's lands, Father, would that be enough evidence?" He grins at his sister's obvious glee with food. He hasn't eaten much of his, much less anyone else's.

The Count takes the proffered bite. "Depends on whether it was an estate he visits often. He could always claim it was unauthorized, execute someone for treason, and pretend he had nothing to do with it."

Carroll nods, "So, no." He shakes his head ruefully, and says, "Exactly what I'd do in that situation, though, were I to be there."

Horatio shifts slightly in his seat, blinks, and then stands. "Ahhh... I'm sorry, but... please excuse me. I left an experiment in the furnace, which really should not have been in there for as long as it has been..." Alex blinks at Horatio... then has to cover a sudden giggle as he dashes hastily out! Carroll thinks, I wonder how the Queen will feel about us repeatedly setting fire to the place. Ah well.

The Count sighs as his absent-minded son dashes off in the direction of his laboratory. "That reminds me, though. They've made some good progress with that sticky goop from Hamasura."

Alex blinks at her father, "Er... which is this again?"

Carroll smiles, and says, "Oh, good." He tells Alex, "Remember the tree sap we found in the village there? The one we might line barrels with."

Timothy waves his hand. "That tree sap."

Alex says, "Oh! Right, that stuff. Good!" She grins, remembering the crazy oilbird.

Don Carlos looks curious. "Tree sap?"

Carroll says, "I hope that Señor Valencia is happy with the arrangement." He adds, to his father, "The consul there, Hans, let us talk to him, too. He might be in a slightly unpleasant situation for having lost this opportunity. If possible, it would be good to offer him position on staff with is."

Alex nods thoughtfully, "He was a pleasant fellow, yes." She looks at the coyote and explains the tree sap with enthusiasm and several gesticulations. As she does so she feeds Carroll some of her eggs, and grins at the don, "So it's kinda interesting stuff, don't you think?"

Carroll is fed eggs. Afterwards he says, "Possibly nothing will come of it, other than the good will of Valencia... but if it does, it could be something."

"Most certainly," the coyote agrees. "A pity these trees do not grow in my homeland."

Carroll says, "Interesting idea. Do you know they don't? Are there other useful things which do?"

Don Carlos nods. "Reasonably sure. From your descreeption, theese are swampland trees. Costa Yermo has no swamps."

The Count takes a small rectangular slab of the stuff from his pocket. "Actually... we have one use for it already. Watch..." He fishes a piece of paper out, writes on it with a lead pencil, and then rubs the slab over the mark... which promptly disappears. "Voilá. An eradicator."

Carroll watches his father's demonstration, then says, "That is terribly useful indeed. Have you shown Horatio? He'll want one. Or many."

Alex looks suddenly wistful as another thought hits her, "Wouldn't it be nice if the gates were both in friendly hands? It'd be so much easier to travel from there to here." She's not looking forward to the two month trip one way between Costa Yermo and Killimara... she sighs, "I... think I'm going to just have to take the half a year it takes to go visit Costa Yermo with the don at some point."

Carroll smiles at his sister and says, "Take a winter, Alex. In a year or two, you'll understand that that isn't such a terrible fate."

Alex grumpily wrinkles her nose at her eldest brother. "Hmf. You're not the one that might got thought of as nothing more than just property." She shudders slightly, her fur fluffing slightly in alarm again in reaction to that thought.

Carroll laughs, then says, "I didn't mean the being-there not being terrible, Alex, I meant the not-being-at-sea-in-the-winter part. Being treated like property would be terrible." He looks at the Don, adding, "But you wouldn't let that happen, would you?"

Don Carlos sits up straighter at that. "Never, sir."

Alex sighs, "Cara, you know as well as I that I have to do that... not him... and they'll whisper it behind my back, same as they whispered about me when I was a kid. Giving that stupid baroness' niece the black eye and her friend the split lip was satisfying... but only in the short term." She glooms at her plate... then blinks, looking up hastily at her father, "Er... if I actually had done that, instead of her running into the doo..." She pauses, and then her ears droop, "Oh, forget it, I don't believe me either."

The Count just chuckles. "I didn't believe it at the time either, dear. But I wasn't going to admit that I thought they deserved it too. I've always been proud of you, Alex."

Alex looks slightly less hang-dog at the compliment from her father, smiling faintly to herself... then remembers what she was talking about, and sighs again, "Still. I really hate being whispered about... it's so horribly hard to combat!"

Carroll says, "I don't know what to say to make you more comfortable about it, other than to go and see. Personally I hope the Don is right -- and they will look up to you in awe and all the women will all want to be more like that, and the men will have little choice but to get used to the new way things are."

Alex leans her head into one hand and pokes glumly at her inoffensive plate with a fork, glancing sideways up at Carroll, "Not likely. I was talking to the don today... apparently they attack each other all the time because they're all jealous of each other, because they all want to own each other." Gloomily she adds, "Want to know what they call the tango? A perfectly beautiful, intense, exciting, fun dance... they call it 'jealousy given form.'" She shudders, and the plate gets another vicious jab. She mutters, "It's creepy..."

Carroll hmms, then asks, "Is that the case, Don Carlos? How do you think people there will react to Alexandra and her strong personality?" Alex smiles a bit grimly. 'Strong personality'... that's a nice way to put it.

Don Carlos looks a bit diffident as he talks directly to the Count. "Eef you would forgive a suggestion from the other side, sir... when you send thees deeplomateec meession, appoint Sir Alexandra to eet. Weeth such status, she would necessarily be protected from much of the wheespering..." He breaks off at Alex's gloomy summation. "Eet ees not that bad, Sir Alexandra. The word does not mean quite the same in your language."

Alex gives the don a rather horrified look, "Me?! Whoa, wait, hold on! I..." She flounders for words for a second, then seizes in relief on duty as an excuse, "I can't go -- I'm first mate of the Saucy Mare!"

Carlos looks serious. "And you are also trusted by the rulers of both Maidstone and Starfall, and so a feet representateeve of the League. Thees would not be forever."

Carroll smiles quietly, and thinks, That could be changed, little sister. Or the whole ship could go, and both of us could be saddled with it. So thinking, he says, "I don't know, Don Carlos. We're not the most experienced you could send."

The coyote shrugs again. "Experience ees not the only theeng. She could have others to advise her, but een her own person she ees trusted by both governments."

Alex pauses, thinking... then says firmly, "I suspect this whole conversation is somewhat moot, since I can't imagine the Killimaran League would send me as a diplomat on such a delicate mission. However, even if they did all take collective leave of their senses and do so, I would certainly not be interested in abandoning my post on the Saucy Mare... and I would have one hell of a long list of other things I would insist on! -which I can't imagine they'd want to give me, so that renders it even more moot!"

Sten enters the room, making enough noise to give polite notice that he's there. He bows respectfully to the Count, the Don, and the others and murmurs appropriate greetings. Alex notices Sten's arrival with obvious relief, "Sten! Hi, come have lunch with us and tell us about... er, about how your day's been going!" Need a change of subject here -- this is getting weird!

Carroll smiles at Sten, obviously pleased to see him. He doesn't, however, interrupt what he was saying to Don Carlos, as he seems to feel it is important. "It is true, Don Carlos," he says, "-that experience is not the only measure. However, sending someone inexperienced into a difficult situation may not be the wisest idea. Also, if it is Alexandra who is sent as ambassador, she will have both the disadvantages of being inexperienced, and of having to overcome the apparently pervasive feeling of women's inferiority your country seems to have." He adds, "I hope I worry too much about what that means, but from what I have been told, and my experiences in Hamasura, I don't know that that's true."

Sten takes a seat and smiles at his half-sister. He answers her quietly so as not to interrupt Carroll. "I'm afraid there's not much to say, my lady. The day has been quite routine."

Alex nods emphatically at Carroll's words, adding dryly to the don, "I think you can find out from my family how er... 'well' I deal with being constantly annoyed and frustrated... and I don't think that's precisely what the League is looking for in a diplomat for such a potentially explosive and/or delicate mission." She blinks a bit startledly at being addressed as 'my lady' by her half-brother... then leans to whisper to him, "You know you can just call me Alex, right, Sten? At least while we're both off-duty?"

Sten smiles at Alex. "Sorry. Perhaps it's a lingering effect of the party."

Alex grins cheerfully at Sten, patting one of his paws lightly, and nods commiseratively, "It gets to me too sometimes. It's why I like doing something lighthearted and fun the next day... like horseback riding or fencing. Lets me relax." Sten smiles to Alex.

Carroll adds, "It doesn't help that Alex particularly dislikes having people talk about her behind her back. Malicious rumors have never sat well with her." He asks the Don, "Do you think that no one would whisper incredulously, or deride or refuse to take seriously or discount her authority? I fear she would loser her temper, and that could cause all sorts of unpleasant international difficulties." He adds, "You'd be better off sending Duchess White Haven. She obviously doesn't care what people say about her, and does what she finds important."

The Count nods. "Possibly not. However... would you be willing to be the transport for a special envoy? The Mare is one of the fastest ships we have available." Alex glances to Carroll, the Mare's captain, for his reply to that... although by the curious tilt of her ears it's obvious she wouldn't mind.

Sten listens to the conversation intently as he eats, trying to catch up on what is apparently an important discussion. Carroll smiles to his father, "Of course we would transport an envoy. The Saucy Mare is a fast ship, with a somewhat experienced crew, which can defend itself fairly well. For that, it would be a fine choice."

Alex raises an eyebrow, then grins at her brother mischievously, "Forgive me, my captain, but I think she's got a fine and experienced crew!"

Carroll smiles and answers calmly, "A crew can always be more experienced, Alex. Ours is doing more than passably well, and I admit I am quite proud of them. More experience is always possible."

Carlos smiles. "I have not the expertise to say, Sir Alexandra. But I would be happy to sail weeth you and let you explain theengs."

Alex blinks at the don -- then brightens, "Oh! Are you going to go, then?" then blinks at Carroll in turn and grins, looking faintly embarrassed, "Well, true. I just... well, strictly speaking, the crew is more experienced than we are. I just... like giving them the credit they're due, you know?"

Carlos chuckles. "My duty ees here, unless Queen Arianna or Preence Iago decides otherwise. I would be happy to take a short treep weeth you, however."

Carroll asks, "What did you have in mind, Don Carlos?"

Alex grins a little sheepishly at Carroll, adding, "Sorry..." then looks curiously at the don for his answer.

The coyote smiles innocently. "Seemply a short cruise weeth your undoubtedly outstanding crew on your lovely leetle sheep."

Alex raises an amused eyebrow at the don, but forbears from remarking on how unsubtle a setup that one was! Carroll says, "I believe a cruise would be something that could be arranged, Don Carlos, after the meetings of the Ambassadors are completed."

Alex gives the don a faintly amused look -- she's not sure why he thinks 'fun' would be living in cramped quarters on a tiny ship, living on hardtack and- ...she pauses, struck by a sudden thought. Oh! She understands now... he's probably doing the same thing she wants to do -- he wants to see how she reacts while in her 'native realm,' so to speak. He wants to see if she's radically different under pressure, or changes somehow when coping with people she's responsible for, or something like that -- just like she wants to do with him at his estate! She blinks, studying the don with renewed interest... now that was clever of him! -and grins quietly to herself, snagging a tasty nibble from Carroll's plate, then sipping from her drink, as she considers.

The coyote nods to Carroll. "I would be most honored, Capitán."

Alex swallows her drink, then looks curiously at her father, "So... who do you think they'll be sending with us, then?" She blinks at another sudden thought, "Uh-oh... quarters." She frowns, considering... then looks up at her brothers, "Well, if Sten moved in with Horatio, and I moved in with Carroll... do you think that'd work, to give whomever the diplomat is a nice room on the Mare?"

Timothy shrugs. "I don't even know yet that they'll send anyone. But the actual diplomat will probably be someone acceptable to the delegates as a group... whereas you and your brothers will be acceptable to Maidstone and Starfall. Everyone wins.

Carroll nods, and says, "I'm sure we can come up with something, Alex. I would have suggested I move in with the First Mate, and give them the nicest quarters, but the details aren't important." He asks his father, "You don't expect to approve of whom the group as a whole selects?"

Alex nods to Carroll, "That'd work too, sure," then looks at her father curiously, "Um... but why send the Mare if they're not sending anyone?"

Timothy grins wryly. "You've never seen some of the compromises that come out of those meetings."

Alex's ears tilt quizzically... then she smiles and shrugs, "Okay."

Don Carlos has again managed to clear a morning for weapons practice with Alex, the day before the League conference is scheduled to start. He actually does a little better than usual this time, though it might be because Alex is distracted by wondering what they need her for at the meeting. When they finish, he smiles at her and says, "May I ask you sometheeng, Sir Alexandra?"

Alex gets a faintly embarrassed look as she's putting away the practice sword and sluicing her sweaty self down with cold water, Oh dear... he could tell I wasn't paying full attention! I hope he's not annoyed... "Um, of course, don Carlos...?"

The coyote smiles. "Gracias. I was wondering why you thought I might be a mage."

Alex straightens from the water barrel, water dripping off her face and down her front (and making her shirt stick interestingly to her), and gives the don a startled look, "What? Oh!" With relief she thinks, Thank goodness -- he either didn't notice, or isn't annoyed! "Oh, that. Well, um... you do know that magic is supposed to be a form of energy, right? and that mages have a little more of it floating around them, sorta?"

The coyote shrugs. "I have never learned much of eet, but thees I have heard."

Alex hms... then nods, "You know how colors go in the rainbow, right? Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet? Okay... so let's say that the colors represent the level of energy things have... and let's say normal living things are yellow-green, right? -and a mage is anywhere from green-blue to violet-white. Make sense?" She grins, wiping excess water droplets off her whiskers as she watches the don.

Carlos looks intrigued by the explanation. "So a mage can tell thees just by lookeeng? Asombroso... and you theenk I look like a mage, then?"

Alex nods cheerfully, "Let's head for the baths as we talk, okay? So... your energy colors lean more towards the magically inclined, that's all." She beams at him, "So that's why I asked!" She adds curiously, "What does uh... awesome-bro-soh mean?"

Carlos nods, his ears half-down as he thinks. "Eet means ah... to be amazeeng, milady." He adds thoughtfully, "Thees ees ... eenteresting. Mageek ees primarily a female occupation een Costa Yermo. Eet ees not conseedered a..." He grins lopsidedly before continuing. "...to be proper machismo for one of the warrior class to learn thees."

Alex blinks a bit startledly at the don... then can't help herself -- she tosses her head back and laughs! A second later she hastily tries to cover her mouth and stifle her giggles -- she doesn't want to be rude to the poor don! She finally manages to say, still grinning widely, "You're telling me only women do magic -- and yet women are seen as needing protection?! Great stars, don Carlos, how can-" She pauses suddenly, thinking furiously... then "ooohs..." in understanding. "Let me guess... magic isn't allowed to do much impressive where you come from, right?"

Carlos grins rather shamefacedly himself. "I have heard thees complaineeng from our offeecers -- that the Hamasurans do not fight fairly, useeng mages for support. At the same time, we do not encourage our young males to be mages, nor do we encourage our female mages to be... agresseeve een nature, si?" He nods at Alex's commentary. "Si. And so we lose battles to a smaller army than our own."

Alex snorts in amusement, "That's just silly." She grins at the don, "Well, foo on them. Want to have Cleo check you out?"

Carlos grins slyly. "I theenk I would much rather have you do thees checking out, milady."

Alex laughs! -then grins amusedly, "Well, I'm afraid I don't know what to look for... I'm just a rank beginner myself, really." She pauses in the corridor, "Here, go have your bath. I'll meet you afterwards, and we can ask Cleo to take a look, okay?"

Carlos sweeps a courtly bow. "It weell be as you say, milady. I am ever at your serveece."

Alex chuckles and bows politely in return, "You are too kind, señor." Then she straightens and bounces lightly on her toes, "Don't take too long! I'm curious now!" She giggles, and dashes light-footedly off for her own bath.

Cleo shows up about the same time that Alex and Don Carlos finish washing up, and joins them in the dining room. "You needed something, Sir Alex?"

Alex beams cheerfully at Cleo, "Yes, thank you, Cleo! I wanted to know, if you had a moment, if you could look at Don Carlos." She does so herself, scanning for his energy aura, and adds thoughtfully, "Is it just me, or is it a bit more um... 'bright' than usual?"

Cleo turns toward the coyote, taking a close look as she meets him for the first time. "With your permission, milord?" At his nod, she sits beside him, closes her eyes, and takes his hands between hers. After a minute or so, she lets go and nods to herself. "Indeed." She looks up then. "You have the potential, milord. At your age I'm not sure that you can still tap it, though."

Alex looks a bit surprised, "It's age-related? I didn't know that... how so?"

Cleo shrugs. "The older you are when you start to learn, the harder it is to unlearn old habits of thought. It's possible, but more difficult."

Alex says, "Oh." She looks fascinated, then glances up a bit disappointedly at don Carlos, "I'm so sorry. Well... do you want to try anyway?"

Carlos looks distracted, as though mulling over the ramifications of a very mixed blessing. He looks up as Alex addresses him. "Hmmm? Oh. Thees... I am not sure what to say. Thees ees not sometheeng I was expecteeng to theenk about. Already I have no time to spare. Perhaps eef I can take a long voyage weeth no other responsibeeleeties..."

Alex watches the don curiously... then nods to Cleo, "Thank you, Cleo... I think the don will have to think about this first." She nods politely when the calico does, and waits until she's left until turning back to don Carlos. Interestedly she says, "All right... so, what's up?"

Carlos looks back curiously. "What ees up? I do not understand."

Alex grins, "You look like you're juggling about five mental balls all at once. What were you thinking about, when you looked so distracted a moment ago?"

Carlos smiles. "Oh, that... I was theenkeeng thees may be why the late unlamented Colonel Rivera was unable to deescern my lack of esteem for heem. Do you theenk I could have been... unconsciously influenceeng heem?"

Alex tilts her head, studying the don thoughtfully... then smiles, "Well, from what I've been told you have to actually have some training to use the ability, unless it bursts out in some dramatic fashion like mine did." Dryly she adds, "I'd damn well hope you weren't unconsciously influencing anyone. How could you do anything but eternally doubt the sincerity of your friends, if you truly believed you could do that?" She smiles reassuringly, "Besides... it's entirely possible he wasn't that perceptive anyway. I, er... had him rather confused during the one dance I had with him, and I was mostly just teasing him."

Carlos chuckles. "Thees ees also quite posseeble. I would certainly hope that I was not somehow eenfluenceeng you, though I would theenk that a true mage would be able to tell."

Alex studies the don quietly... then simply nods gravely, "I would hope so too... although I'm by no means a 'true mage' at this stage in the game." She goes back to thoughtfully eating her breakfast.

Carlos shrugs. "Ah, but you have had some training." He brightens. "And eef I were eenfluenceeng you, you would not beat me at swordplay as often, si?"

Alex raises an amused eyebrow at the don, "I'd guess by now you weren't that insecure, señor... but thank you for trying to reassure." She politely changes the subject, "So, what else were you thinking about, if I may ask?"

The coyote smiles. "Oh, many theengs. I have some responsibeelity as the Ambassador, after all." He sighs. "I worry about my niñitos. I worry about who Colonel Rivera's replacement will be."

Alex says curiously, "Um... you do know about the special meeting of the League, right? I mean, it'd be hard to miss. So... how do you feel about that? -and about the Mare maybe heading down towards Costa Yermo?" She adds slowly, "And... why did you really suggest me as a diplomat? You know how easily I can fly off the handle sometimes... yet you suggested me to Father. Why?"

Carlos twitches his ears forward at the first part of Alex's comment. "I would be totally remeess een my duties had I meessed thees, Sir Alex. As for your sheep being used to convey an envoy? I would be pleased. You could see my homeland and learn of eet weethout my biases. You might also be able to quietly check on Juan Carlos and Teresita..." He grins. "To be honest, Sir Alexandra, I weeshed to see what your father would theenk of the idea. But also... perhaps someone needs to, as you say, fly off the handle weeth the Preence. Too many people tell heem only what he wants to hear."

Alex looks puzzled, "Why did you want to see what Father thought?" She snorts amusedly at the last part of what the don says, and grins, "Oh, sure, just what I need... a powerful madman angry with me for not telling him what he wants to hear." She grins wryly, "Gee, thanks."

Carlos grins back. "Better you than me. You would have deeplomateec eemunity. I would not."

Alex laughs! -then grins teasingly, "And the other question I asked?"

The coyote just grins again. "To see how good a deeplomat he ees, of course. And to see how he regards hees daughter's abeeleties."

Alex rests her chin in one small paw and grins amusedly, her eyes teasing, "I see... so you're implying it would take a stunning diplomat to get me the job?"

Carlos puts on his most bland diplomat's poker face. "You do have advantages wheech would help, milady. But knoweeng what I do of the poleeteecs of the League, I suspected that you would not be allowed by the other delegates to thees conference. Steell... I theenk eet would be a good theeng eef you were to go, and thees was to start Hees Excellency theenkeeng een that direction."

Alex grins broadly, Oh, could butter possibly slip more smoothly off his tongue than those words did?! Her voice is even more teasing, "I see... and what direction should His Excellency be looking, do you think?" She sips decorously from her goblet, eyeing the don with great amusement over the rim!

Carlos maintains the poker face. "Lookeeng? I theenk he ees lookeeng een Her Grace's deerection. Thees ees a good theeng, I believe."

Alex chuckles and sets her goblet down, "Keeps the pressure off of you, eh?" She grins and eats a bit... then pauses, one ear tilted at a quizzical angle, "Um... may I ask you a question, Don Carlos?"

The coyote smiles. "Certainly, you may ask. You need not ask permeession for thees, Sir Alex."

Alex hesitates, not sure how to frame the question she wants to ask despite the don's reassurance, "Do you... no, did you, um..." She frowns, considering words, then finally says carefully, "Did you, er... 'hide' from Maria? Business stuff, I mean? Did you feel you couldn't um... share with her?"

The coyote looks pensive, his ears going to half-mast as he thinks about Maria. "There were a few theengs that I could not share weeth her. Seecrets that I was sworn to keep. Otherwise? I deescussed theengs weeth her, and she often was the admeeneestrator of the estate when I was absent. I have thought that although our women have no offeecial power, they have great eenfluence weeth their husbands. Certainly Maria deed weeth me."

Alex nods quietly, thinking. She just sits, apparently studying her plate for a moment... then finally she looks up at the don and says with a hint of worry, "Um... Carroll told me you were looking for more of a partner this time. So... can I ask what exactly you mean by that word, please?"

Carlos looks at Alex rather earnestly. "I mean exactly what I said. Maria was my partner, but... a junior partner. She rarely questioned what I suggested, though I asked what she thought. You... you have your own ideas. You would question the way theengs are, wheech my homeland sorely needs. You would not fear to challenge the status quo. You have the confeedence to be an equal of any man you meet."

Alex looks more worried -- she appreciates the compliments, but has been struggling with some of these issues for a while, and they all seem to be tumbling out at once, "But... how do you challenge a whole country?! -and Iago's mad! How can you live there safely? -and what happens to Carroll or your children if the queen says no? Will he hurt someone else if you managed to somehow get your children out? What happens if he confiscates your estates? And..." she pauses, then says slowly, her ears drooping, "...what happens if our countries go to war?"

Carlos grins as he holds his hands up at the barrage of questions. "Slowly, señorita. My poor ears do not have thees command of your language!" He answers the last one first. "I weell work weeth all my strength to keep our lands at peace. I do not theenk a war would benefeet either of our rulers." Alex nods unhappily, still watching the don intently. This is obviously important to her. "Eef eet happens een spite of thees? I would hope that I could spend thees war een your custody, Sir Alexandra. Eef thees happens, I would not weesh to have to fight against you."

Alex starts to nod unhappily again -- then gets a startled look, "Er, what? In my custody?"

Carlos grimaces. "Not you personally, milady... thought that would perhaps be amusing. Een the custody of the League, as an enemy noncombatant. That way I would steell be here when eet came time to negotiate a settlement."

Alex ooohs softly in understanding... then just nods quietly. "I guess... I hadn't really thought about it, but I guess here would be a rotten place for a Costa Yerman to be stuck during a war, unless they were indeed officially in someone's custody..." She falls silent again, brooding slightly. This war thing is looking both more and more likely... and less and less pleasant for the folks she cares about. She sighs slightly, leaning her cheek in one hand and moodily chewing on a croissant as she listens to the don answer her questions.

Carlos chuckles mirthlessly. "I theenk eet would be even worse to be een Costa Yermo eef eet became eenvolved een a war weeth the League."

Alex says, "Hm... because you expect it to get hurt?" She frowns, wondering how the don intends to get his children out. She can't imagine he's going to be willing to leave them there, during a war, while he's elsewhere.

"As to the rest? You challenge a whole country by provideeng an example they cannot deny. Theengs weell not change all een a day, but someone must start them. As to the Queen? You know as well as I that she weell not agree. But as long as she does not offeecially say no, we can continue to search for a solution. My niños... I worry about what their tutors are teacheeng them, more than anytheeng. Perhaps you could keednap them for me?"

Alex blinks at the don, "I beg your pardon?! Do you want me to start a war?!" She looks completely taken aback!

Carlos chuckles. "Only eef they know who has done eet. I am sure thees would not start a war een any event."

Alex stares in astonishment at the don, "Completely aside from whether I believe that statement or no... why on earth would your children trust a bunch of theoretically enemy strangers?!"

He grins. "I am not serious, Sir Alexandra. But eef you could check on them for me, I would be most grateful."

Alex blinks again, her fur settling back as her shock abates, "Oh! Good heavens, you had me going there for a moment..."

Carlos looks very serious again, and lowers his voice. "But as for trust... Juan Carlos knows that he can trust completely someone who knows the key word I told heem before I left. I thought thees might eventually be necessary."

Alex takes a breath, then considers. She's somehow not surprised the don planned ahead so -- she remembers how Mac's wife simply picked up some things and calmly left with them, when told it was a 'bugout'... finally she grins a bit mischievously, "Well, I can tell you one thing! If you actually manage to get me stuck going to Costa Yermo, I certainly intend to ask the queen for diplomatic immunity for the entire ship! -and..." her eyes gleam wickedly, "-probably I'd insist I needed a good translator. Someone... well-versed in Costa Yermo etiquette... someone the Court would know and accept... and of course, someone acceptable to me too..." She lets her words trail off a bit teasingly, grinning cheerfully at the don.

The don chuckles at Alex's description of her ideal escort. "Someone such as, perhaps, an eemportant member of the Embassy's staff?"

Alex grins cheerfully, "Oh, doubtless! Don't you agree that would be wisest?" She looks off into the distance, effectively if unconvincingly putting a rather flighty look on her face, "-and, oh, if I just happened to want to see some cute li'l kids -- everyone knows girls just love kids! -- why, gosh, I'd just have to have the translator there, don't you think?" She giggles cheerfully!

Carlos grins. "I suspect that eef I were there, they would find some other set of cheeldren to show you. But eet ees an idea."

Alex laces her fingers together primly, "Not if I wanted to see a particular set of kids, perhaps!"

Carlos nods. "And they could hardly keep someone from veeseeteeng hees own fameely, after all."

Alex grins cheerfully, "Exactly!" Then she tilts her head thoughtfully, smiling, "You wouldn't have to, of course... I doubt they're going to ask me to represent them, and I'm certainly not going to force you to do something like that if you didn't want to."

Carlos looks hurt. "I would not need to be forced to eentroduce you to my fameely, Sir Alex."

Alex smiles again, lightly patting one of his paws with hers, "I... was just trying to be careful, Don Carlos. I'm afraid some of the things I hear about Costa Yermo are so... so unbelievable that I become incredulous, and have trouble taking it seriously... and... well, I'd feel terrible if someone got hurt because I wasn't being careful enough, you know?" She sighs softly, her ears going back slightly, "I worry about how the mad prince may react to folks I care about. He's a dangerous lunatic with assassins at his beck -- I find that frightening. I don't understand how his people can put up with it... but... well, I'm not there."

Carlos nods. "Eef the danger of changeeng ees worse than that of not changeeng, people weell put up weeth a great deal. The Inquisidores make the reesk of change very high eendeed."

Alex frowns, "I wonder if the inquisitors were no longer protected by the crown... if they'd melt away then." She ponders... then sighs again, "Ah well. I've no way of knowing." She looks at the don soberly, "So... what will you do if the prince finds out the queen has no intentions of marrying him?"

The coyote snorts. "Eef? When ees more likely. I do not know. Eef eet was only myself, I would stay here for the rest of my days, or perhaps go to Cabreda. I need to conseeder my niñitos, though. Eef I could only breeng them weeth me...

Alex nods unhappily, resting her chin in her small paws. She ponders for a moment... then gives the don a puzzled look, "What about your people? The ones on your estates? Don't they depend on you too?"

Carlos nods sadly. "They do, but not so deerectly. I have had a... what do you call eet? Seneschal. A seneschal for some time, as I have so often been out of my home."

Alex tilts her head thoughtfully, one paw absently brushing her ruff back, "Your estates... you don't get to spend much time there, do you?" She thinks about it for a while, realizing that even if the don marries her, his people probably won't see any more of him than before. She hopes his seneschal is honest... she sighs quietly, wondering if marrying her is such a good idea for the poor don and his people. She murmurs softly, "I bet your people miss you..."

Carlos shrugs. "They meess Maria, thees ees true. But I hope that my surrogate ees doeeng well enough that they do not long for my return. I try to keep up weeth theengs, so I have contacts weeth the merchants who veeseet Punta del Fuego."

Alex wonders thoughtfully if things were this... sort of relaxedly lax? -for her family. She doesn't think so, but then maybe she's just remembering wrong? She chews absently on a claw-tip, worrying... the don seems very sure that the, er... what did he call them? -campesinos, that's it -- that they'd love her. She's not sure though... she's damn different than Maria, from everything she's heard... and it sounds like the don's not been there in quite some time anyway... would he even know them that well any more? She sighs... well, she supposes that answers her wondering about his estates.

Don Carlos smiles then. "But enough about me. While I am not averse to talkeeng about myself to a lovely young woman, you must tell me of your own fameely, too. How does your father run hees estates? How does your ceety raise eets cheeldren?"

Alex blinks, her attention shifting abruptly back to the here and now. She considers the don's questions... then smiles, "Well... Da- er, Father and Carroll have been running the estates together for some time now. I sometimes think Carroll knows the name and background of every person that works for us." She chuckles softly, then adds, "In fact, this Solstice we have to return to Ettore Island with Father -- we promised them we would, and several of their people are marines on our ship -- they'll want to see family again!" She looks rather proud of them for a moment -- then grins again, "And they throw a lovely party. It's fun." She thinks a moment more, then adds curiously, "What do you mean by how does a city raise its children, though?"

Carlos shakes his head. "I am not makeeng myself clear. How do the people of your ceety, I should have said?"

Alex says, "You mean Starfall?" She puzzles for a moment, still not sure what the don is asking, "Well... um, I guess every noble does things a little different... I know that Nanna mostly raised us after Mother died, and we had tutors. Daddy also maintains a school for the children of our people -- he says smart people make a smart lord seem smarter. He's not the only noble that does that, I know... and in the town proper the guilds have schools for their people." She smiles, "Being able to read is important... why do you ask such a curious question? Don't all lords make sure their people are literate and healthy?"

Carlos sighs. "Healthy, yes. Few of the folk in Costa Yermo are able to read."

Alex blinks startledly at the don, "What?! Er, pardon?" She narrows her eyes in puzzlement, "Are you serious?"

Carlos twitches an ear. "You deed not know thees?" His voice changes and he puffs out his cheeks, obviously imitating someone. "Campesinos who can read? A waste of money! They might get ideas above their station!" His ears perk up quizzically then. "Si, your grace, and they might also have ideas to help our poor country."

Alex blinks again... then just laughs incredulously -- she can't think of any better answer. She shakes her head slowly, her smile fading a bit at the edges, "Let me guess... the noblewomen often don't read either?"

Carlos shrugs. "Some do, some do not. As many do as the noblemen, I would theenk."

Alex snorts, "You've got some silly duke that is stifling his people? No wonder the nobles want to pin the campesinos down on their lands... anyone with a shred of common sense would fl-! -er..." she blushes, remembering whose country she's talking about, and finishes a little lamely "-um... would, er, doubtless want to learn..." She blinks again, looking a bit stunned, "Hold on... you're telling me that even the nobility don't all read?!"

Carlos grins, looking mock-indignant. "You are not eensulteeng my own liege-lord, Sir Alexandra? He has great stores of common sense, handed down from generation to generation by hees ancestors. I theenk he has so much of eet because none of them have ever used eet." He nods at the second question. "No, not all. There are some who theenk eet ees a womanly pursuit, and their wives have great power een their lands. Others theenk eet ees for the lesser ranks of the people, a merchant theeng and not a noble one. My great-grandfather was such a one, unteel the merchants made a fool of heem. After that, he made my grandfather and father learn! So we are now a prosperous House, and have come up een the estimate of the Kings."

Alex's ears pin back in embarrassment, even though she realizes the don is teasing her about the prince. She grins a little sheepishly, tracing a nervous pattern in the moisture on the table, "Well... I'm sorry, but it still seems dumb to me, not to make sure folks know how to read!"

Carlos nods. "I suspect you are right. Why else would the League have so much wealth weeth so few people?"

Alex smiles at the don shyly, "Um... because we're trying to make everyone richer? I don't know." She thinks about that a bit, then adds more seriously, "I sometimes think I don't really understand how people work... how can the nobility be so blind, in some of these city-states, as to forget its duties -- then whine about the people not supporting them? And... why do the people whine that they're not cared for, sometimes, if they do not support their nobility?" She frowns, studying the pattern she's traced on the table -- a simple star shape, like a compass, with the bottom edge already fading. A little wistfully she says, "I wish... I wish I knew how to wake the nobility up. They're starting to fall asleep, so to speak, in Starfall, in places... and from what you say they've been asleep for a very long time in Costa Yermo."

Carlos nods. "Perhaps eef they are asleep, one needs to wake them up. I theenk that thees would be a grand project for anyone's life. Bring knowledge to one land, and watch eet blossom like the desert after a rain... could you help me do that, milady?"

Alex looks thoughtfully at the don for a long moment. Finally she says quietly, "I don't know, señor. I don't know if I know how to do that." She pauses... then smiles faintly and rests one small paw on his, studying him with a steady gaze, "...but I'll gladly try my best."

Carlos smiles. "Thees ees certainly the most that anyone can do. And I theenk that your best ees better than most."

Alex talks with the don for a bit longer, but eventually he has to leave. She sits silently in the dining room for several minutes, sipping her drink and thinking long and hard. Finally she puts her goblet down and rises, pacing silently from the room. She heads for Cleo's small suite of rooms, where the calico has set up a small healing area. There's an extremely thoughtful look on her face as she taps lightly on the door frame. "Cleo? Have you a moment, please?"

The cat looks up from her desk, where she seems to be writing. "Always, ma'am. What can I do for you? Sore from your workout again?"

Alex smiles and shakes her head, "I just had a few questions, if I may... you said that magical specialties would eventually appear in the armadillo quad. Do you know what those are now?" She pauses, then adds slowly, "And... could you tell me please what the don's magical specialty appeared to be?"

Cleo nods to the first part of the question. "They show the aptitude, and they are developing it. Rosita seems to be much faster than the others, though. As for the Don? It isn't easy to tell -- it's not obvious from the beginning in most cases." She grins. "You were the exception, not the rule... which seems to be usual for you, if you don't mind my saying so. Don Carlos... was not trained as a mage, and he is past the age where most natural talents manifest themselves. I think he is most likely a latent talent at this point, perhaps more resistant to spells than most, but with no ability to cast them."

Alex comes in and turns a free chair around, sitting astride it with her arms crossed on the back and her chin resting on her arms. She listens fascinatedly, her ears perked up, then curiously asks, "So... what's a latent talent mean, please, Mistress Cleo?"

"An undeveloped one." She pauses, thinking... "It's like you were before you realized what you had. He's unconsciously learned to tap the energy flows a little -- and unlike you he doesn't have any outlet for it, which is why he's more mana-bright than most furrs. He'll probably use it naturally for defense if he needs to."

Alex thinks for a while, then says slowly, "Could he have subconsciously influenced one of the people at the embassy to not realize he didn't like them?"

Cleo chuckles. "I doubt it. That kind of thing is difficult to do even if you're trying... manipulating someone else's perceptions is extremely tricky. At best, he might manage to make them not notice him if he was trying to sneak around. You've been studying this yourself; you should know how difficult that sort of thing is."

Alex nods quietly, looking faintly relieved, "I see. Well... I wasn't sure -- I was wondering if perhaps that sort of thing could be someone's specialty, you know?" She grins, "Thank you for your time, Mistress Cleo."

Cleo nods. "No problem, ma'am. Just as an aside... it could be a specialty, but I've never heard of a case where it's been an untutored one. Very difficult thing to do."

Alex nods slowly, her ears suddenly settling into a far more wary tilt, "I see." She's silent for a long, quiet moment as she thinks... then she says slowly, "Mistress Cleo... how hard is it to learn how to block that? For both myself and for others?" At Cleo's assurance that it would be simple, she looks relieved, "Excellent. Could you teach me how to do that then, please?" Cleo smiles and nods.

The emergency meeting of the League is held by the ocean, in deference to the delegate for Isthyr. The big sea lion is assisted up the beach to a tank of seawater in the meeting chamber -- Arianna has offered the use of a beachside estate for the meeting and a hastily canopied courtyard serves as the location. The fourteen delegates and their entourages make a spectacular show, but the first day passes in little more than introductory speeches. Alex is scheduled to testify when the actual hearings begin, so she has been asked to stay at the estate until the meeting is over, and Arianna extended the same invitation to the siblings.

Alex wonders curiously what she's supposed to testify about... she sure hopes it's not about the kidnapping, because technically speaking -- she wasn't even there! She'll inquire of Matthew as to what it is she's supposed to testify about. Morganna reassures Alex before the meeting begins. "I hope we won't have to call you to testify at all, really, but in case we need someone to back up what we've found out so far about the connections between your problems and ours. We won't ask about details of the kidnapping, don't worry!"

Alex looks quite relieved, and agrees readily to testify if needed... although she does curiously ask, "Why aren't you asking Carroll to testify, instead of me?"

Morganna smiles. "He's here too, isn't he? You're a bit fierier, though. A better witness."

Alex blinks puzzledly... then looks faintly sheepish, "Oh..." A bit embarrassedly she decides not to mention this to Carroll -- he might laugh!

Carroll listens politely to all the speakers, learning names, faces, accents, and countries. The introductory speeches are not lost at all on him, and he seems quite content to merely wait through the events. One day, he thinks, I will probably have to do this, and the more I know about how these meetings function, the better I will do at it. Sten sits by Carroll, trying to absorb the flavor of the politics. He makes a quiet mental note to ask Carroll about some of the nuances later; the half-wolf knows he could learn a lot both from this political spectacle and from his astute, suave brother. Horatio sits quietly with his siblings, frowning slightly. I wonder what questions they're going to ask Alex...?

The second day starts the actual useful part of the conference, with Morgana and her assistants presenting the information they have linking Costa Yermo to the assassination of Arianna's father and the recent events. The delegates mostly listen, though occasionally one will ask for a clarification of a point. Count St. Genevieve enters the discussion at one point to talk about the attempt on his own life and property. The delegate from St. Avery, a well-dressed otter, asks, "But what evidence connects your problems to those of Maidstone, your Excellency? Are these truly the same problem?"

Count Timothy rubs his nose, considering. "We have evidence that connects the backers of Pravinchandra's attempt to the same people that were responsible for the recent attempts on Queen Arianna. Admittedly, the connection to King Edward's death are more tenuous."

The meeting does present a fair number of the bits of evidence that have been gleaned, including the kidnapping and the Gate that leads to Ciudad Draco. Several of the Maidstone military people are called to testify about that incident, but no one insists on calling Alex to the stand -- the implication being that as a prisoner she was in no real position to observe what was happening. Alex is rather relieved, although it doesn't really show since she's starting to wilt from boredom. She's glad this fascinates Carroll -- it means she doesn't have to worry about it! She can't help the occasional longing glances out to sea, however, as the meeting drones on... and on... and on...

The evening of the second day, however, is set up as an informal reception and party, ostensibly a time to relax. Count Timothy chuckles at that, though, when Alex asks why they're wasting time. "They're not. We can get a lot more done this way... it's actually a working session, surprising as that might seem."

Alex rolls her eyes, "Yeah, but sheesh... there's no dancing!" She wanders off, mumbling something about what's the point of a party with no dancing...

The Count laughs at that. "Oh, you shouldn't say that. Wait 'til you see some of the maneuvers..."

Alex gives her father an amused glance over her shoulder, "Uh-huuuh... I'll believe it when I see it, Daddy!"

Carroll smiles cheerfully and says, "No, just lots of lovely talking," in a blatant attempt to tease his sister. Alex sticks her tongue out at Carroll! Carroll grins, but decides he'll stay close to his father, so he can overhear as much as possible without being rude.

Morganna and the Count put their heads together at the beginning of the reception, apparently dividing up the room. Count Timothy nods after a few minutes, and then begins to mingle, his eldest son at his side. Sten stays beside his father and Carroll, but maintains a low if polite profile. He has nothing to talk about with any of these people, although he briefly wonders if the Viscountess Westmark is here, and feeling better than she was at his family's party. He amuses himself by watching for any signs of trouble, alert for anything that might threaten his family. Alex wanders around, occasionally with her other brothers, her perfect 'court' face on. She's immaculately dressed, exquisitely polite... and incredibly bored. She actually finds herself at one point wishing there'd be another assassin attack -- at least that way there'd be something to do!

Timothy's first drift is in the direction of the Isthyrian delegate, who is still lolling in his giant aquarium. "Clanleader. I trust you are well?"

The sea lion nods. "Not bad, not bad. Heard about what happened to you from my cousin a while back. Glad to see you made it in one piece." He ducks back under the water, then resurfaces and squints in Alex's direction. "This your daughter, then?"

Carroll bows respectfully to the sea lion. As a ship's Captain, he thinks, I can only do well to remain on these people's good side. At the sea lion's question, Carroll wonders, Why interest in Alex, of all people? Odd. Timothy nods. "Alexandra, this is another old friend of mine, Clanleader Kotick. Kotick, this is my daughter Alexandra." The old fox introduces the rest of the family as well, Carroll, Horatio, and Sten.

Alex glances sideways at her father in faint amusement, wondering why she doesn't merit the knighthood here, but curtseys politely, "A pleasure to meet you, sir." Sten bows respectfully to the Clanleader and murmurs correct greetings.

Kotick nods to each of them in turn, taking a moment to memorize their faces before turning back to the Count. "What do you think needs to be done, Tim?" Alex blinks, suddenly more interested in the sea lion... he called her father 'Tim'? Huh -- they must be friends then! Carroll thinks, This could be an interesting answer. Sten also listens, quietly curious.

The count says, "We're going to be pushing for a special envoy to Costa Yermo to get to the bottom of things. If they find anything worth declaring a war over, we'll worry about it then. It may be another bit of misdirection on the part of you-know-who, after all." Alex listens curiously, her ears tilted forward as she looks up at the two large men... Interesting! So Don Carlos must've either already known, or figured out, what Daddy intends! A moment later there's a faint touch of pleasure -- either Daddy approves of the don enough to be candid with him, or the don's just smart -- either way she's happy!

Kotick snorts in disgust, the exhalation strongly fish-scented. "Not again. We really need to finish them off once and for all." The fox shrugs. "How?"

The sea lion ducks under for a moment again. "That's always the question, isn't it? Not much we can do to help, I'm afraid. We're not really built for mountains. But yes, we'll back you. Who do you have in mind for the envoy?"

Alex raises an eyebrow, Now that statement is not true, she thinks, as the sea lion says there's nothing they can do. She asks politely (and curiously), "Do you refer to finishing off Costa Yermo, Clanleader Kotick?"

The sea lion glances at the count, who gives a very brief nod, before turning to Alex, his voice soft. "No, not them. Their current government, perhaps, but I was referring to our assassin playmates."

Alex blinks slightly, her ears going up a bit... and then before she can catch herself her eyes narrow and her ears flatten. It takes a second for her to straighten her face out to the proper expression of calm disinterest... but her voice is still flat as she says simply, "Oh." She frowns thoughtfully... she has good reason to intensely dislike the assassins too. Maybe if we could figure out a way to make them utterly unwelcome in Costa Yermo... that might help? Don't know how yet, though... Sten listens, face politely still. Interesting.

Kotick grins as one of his staff brings him a plate of snacks and some beer -- then sighs as the stuffy Falkirk delegate follows him over. "We'll talk more later if we need to, Tim. Duty calls." Alex covers a small smile... okay, maybe the seafolk might be fun to get to know! Carroll smiles and bows politely to the seafolk as he takes his leave.

The count waves and drifts off. As it turns out, though, the elk is looking for him, not for Kotick, and soon has intercepted the foxes. The elk bows stiffly. "Your Excellency." Carroll returns the elk's bow, remaining quiet and wondering, So, what does Falkirk have to say to us?

Timothy stifles a sigh and bows as well. "Councilman. Have you met my family?" Sten tries to look large, dutiful, polite, and well bred. Alex eyes the elk as she's introduced, smiling politely and concealing her amusement as she wonders if the poor guy realizes everyone sighs when he turns up.

The elk turns out to be William Trask, who bows politely to everyone as they are introduced, before turning his attention back to the Count. "I understand how you and Maidstone are upset by all this, but is it really a League matter? Surely you're not proposing diverting our military away from its proper duties?"

The count looks a touch exasperated. "Their duties include protecting our merchants from all enemies, Councilman, not just the Empire. We need to find out what's going on here, and if it turns out that Costa Yermo is threatening us we will need to deal with that."

Trask looks suspicious. "What are you going to propose, then?"

Alex can't resist a glance over her shoulder... maybe if she went and got some nibbles for her father she could then slip off and not be noticed? She wonders if the big sea lion would be willing to talk to her... ooh! or maybe she could -- she brightens at the thought -- maybe she could flee the party entirely -- and... oh, go riding, or something fun?!

Horatio meanders through the crowed; he's perfectly comfortable with being beneath most of the delegates' notice. He occupies himself with remaining reasonably alert, ears not perked too much. His father and two brothers present would catch the attention of any delegates, and Alex would garner the attention of any single males.

That thought sort of occupies his mind as he wanders to the refreshments, his nose catching the scent of jasmine and wondering what dish they could have put that herb into... they speculated often enough about its uses in the Academy once or twice. When did it all change? he wonders. It was probably happening even just before Father's voyage in the last Thunderchilde and Pravinchandra tried to destroy us. Carroll was always the firstborn to me, Dimitri was off in the Marines and so I hardly ever saw him. Sten... Essense of Water, I never knew I had another older brother! Well, of course I didn't. So of course there's plenty to catch up on.

But somewhere, Alex went from being the hellion girl who could scare half the city boys running back home, and clobber the other half... a fiery girl whom I'm sure Nana swore multiple times to never bring to a function ever again... someone more at home in riding garb than dresses... well, she's still all that... and more, now. I guess it doesn't really matter when it all changed. We all have, like it or not, thanks to Pravinchandra. There's no going back to how we were, and I don't think we'd want to. Our "peers" back in Starfall are still probably doing the meaningless court thing, trudging through the Academy -- oh, that's right, I had a term paper on the Sublimation of Noble Elements due seven or eight months ago. Blast. Oh, well -- or preening themselves for finding potential spouses.

He sighs a little, biting his lip a bit. He reaches the refreshments, and is amused to see that the jasmine is adding flavor to a sort of small cheese pastry. Wonder if I have any hellebore in my satchel... He retrieves a fruit drink and returns to wandering, making note of the layout of the refreshments if he gets hungry later. He blinks as over the sea of heads he sees a massive elk rack near ruddy wolf-fox ears. Oh, dear... if that's the Falkirk delegate... He makes his way, a little hurriedly, towards his family. Not that they need me to deal with him, but it beats trying to slip a potion veritas into the punch...

Alex gets a longing look again for a fraction of a second as she sees Horatio sauntering casually around the room -- then a flash of determination crosses her face, quickly followed by her most perfectly innocent court face. She stands on tiptoes and whispers into her father's ear, just loud enough to be heard by others, "Father, I'm going to get you something to drink, all right?" She slips away hastily, before he can realize what she's doing and stop her. She sighs in relief, permitting herself a small smile as she escapes. She'll actually bring him a drink too, she decides... that would be nice.

The count looks up at the elk. "For now, only a fact-finding mission. We're not even certain that Costa Yermo is involved. We need to find out what we can." The elk still looks suspicious, but nods grudgingly. "All right, I think we can support that much. But an envoy who's not personally involved in this business."

Carroll suggests quietly, "It would be foolish of us, Councilman, to send all of our fleets anywhere, and leave ourselves undefended. A reorganization of resources and deployment of reserves, however, would allows us to cope with a particular threat, while not exposing ourselves to needless vulnerability. Do you not also think it would be foolish not to cope with this new problem?" Horatio arrives at the family... just as Alex escapes. Oh, dear... that bad...? He remains peripheral to the conversation until the elk departs, then nears the group, ears twitching slightly.

The Count and the Councilman discuss things for a bit, tossing out names for possible envoys and arguing over them. Eventually the elk is satisfied and drifts off again, leaving the fox to smile grimly at his eldest son. "The sad thing is, he's open-minded for the Falkirkers."

Carroll replies, "Then take what consolation you can in that, however difficult it may be, it could be worse."

Alex glances around on her way to the refreshment tables, finding herself enjoying the visual panoply of color and display. She wonders if the don's around anywhere... or if there's anyone interesting to talk to. Maybe she can stop by the Clanleader's tank and chat with him for a moment. He seemed... a bit different? Noticing the Falkirk delegate leaving, she wanders back with a handful of goblets for her brothers and father. She grins mischievously, nodding slightly towards the departed elk, "Ah, I see I had perfect timing! Drinks, anyone?"

The count smiles and snags one. "Thank you, dear. A well-timed errand indeed."

Carroll smiles and also accepts one, saying, "Thank you, Alex."

Alex grins unrepentantly at her father, then after handing out the drinks to everyone, has a few sips of her own. Then she looks around thoughtfully, "Okay... so, Daddy, who's next?"

A sudden fluttering announces the next appointment, as a bat in a powder blue tunic and shorts alights next to the foxes. She only comes up to Alex's shoulder once she's on the ground, even with her ears, but the Count nods respectfully to her. "Colonel. How nice to see you again."

Horatio discretely sets his glass aside, and accepts the goblet from his sister. "Thanks, Alex..." He looks around quietly. These things are certainly more bearable when they aren't part of 'business.' He finds himself wondering if he'll ever actually learn the rumba... or the tango... and immediately flees that thought. Ahem... uhm, there's business afoot...! "Oh... something I thought of. Doesn't Costa Yermo know by now that we're here...?" He blinks as the bat suddenly arrives, and nods politely and quietly, letting Father lead the conversation.

Alex takes a faintly startled step back as something flutters over her head, one small paw going to one of her hidden daggers -- then casually slides the dagger back out of the palm of her hand and curtseys politely as she's introduced. I am so twitchy at these silly things! I swear, I'm about ready to just tackle someone and demand some dancing! She grins at the thought, her usual cheer returning for a bit. Carroll resumes his court-smile, and bows respectfully to the bat Ambassador.

The bat grins up at the foxes. "It has been a while, hasn't it? I retired from active service a few years back." She peers at the siblings, "Let's see... that would be Carroll, and Horatio... you must be Alexandra. You weren't even born the last time I saw your brothers." Alex tilts her head slightly and just smiles. The bat looks quite puzzled at Sten, though, looking at him and at the Count repeatedly. "You are not Dimitri." She looks at the Count, spreading a wing partially in inquiry.

Horatio blinks, looking between father and the bat, ears cocked curiously. Carroll smiles and nods when he is identified, and looks to his father to explain the half-wolf. Sten, still playing security guard, notes the bat's arrival and thinks he's relieved it's not an attack... then again... it is a pretty uneventful gathering... hm? He bows respectfully to the bat and waits for the Count to explain.

The Count shakes his head. "This is Sten Rivard, T'kee. You might remember Joiselle Rivard, his mother, from our last mission together?" The bat nods, bowing with a bare nod of the head but with her wings in a curtsey, then stands straight up. She looks at Timothy with a look of surprise, and then a sly grin crawls onto her face. "You didn't."

Alex politely wipes all expression off her face, although the fierce thought crosses her mind, You'd better not embarrass my brother! Horatio glances towards the wall, studying the architecture, not entirely sure as to what to make of the bat's innuendo, well, even though it isn't innuendo, it's just... well, Horatio finds it a bit rude, particularly with Sten standing right there. Sten's polite expression changes not at all. Arrgh. Carroll has to leave it to his father to answer, lest he embarrass the Count. He does keep himself from smirking. Alex glances sideways at her father... then at Sten. Softly she murmurs, "Sten, weren't you just going to help me get some snacks?"

Sten hesitates... But I'm playing bodyguard. This could be a tactic to get rid of me. He smiles almost imperceptibly at Alex and leans to whisper, "I'm okay, thanks... but Horatio might like to help you carry..." He winks. Alex smiles up at Sten and nods quietly... then remains standing next to him.

T'kee notices the temperature drop in the conversation, and apologizes. "Sten... I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry. It just took me by surprise..." The count nods, then. "He's her son and mine. We only just found out ourselves, but I'm quite proud of what he's accomplished so far."

Alex's chin rises slightly and she rests one small paw on Sten's arm. Damn straight, lady... and don't you forget it! Horatio bobs his head at Father's words. Sten smiles to T'kee and nods, "No offense taken, Ambassador. I was surprised myself... and also pleased, to meet my father's side of the family."

Carroll lets himself smile, and says, "I don't think anyone was more surprised than Father was. We're quite pleased to have found him, and to welcome him to the family."

The little bat nods. "I'm not at all surprised. Lady Rivard was someone to reckon with, too, when I met her. How is she these days?"

Sten's expression sobers, and he says, after a glance to see if the Count will speak first, "I'm afraid Lady Rivard is dead, Ambassador. It happened quickly, less than a year ago, and until then she was as formidable as ever." Alex glances up to watch Sten's face as he's speaking... and for a moment she wishes a bit wistfully that she could have met Sten's mother... or, for that matter, her own. She sighs softly. Lucky Sten, having a mother that would teach him how to fight. Horatio's tail swishes slowly and gently side-to-side as he listens to the interchange.

T'kee looks crestfallen, and mutters something to herself that tickles the very upper end of the foxes' hearing. "I'm very sorry to hear that, milord."

Sten nods to the Ambassador, "Thank you, Ambassador."

The little bat turns back to the count, changing the subject to hide her embarrassment at the faux pas. "So. How did Trask take the whole thing? I heard you arguing with him, but couldn't quite make out who he wanted to send."

The count sighs. "He wanted to go himself, I think... so he could ignore any problems that were there. Can't distract the League from the Empire, after all..." T'kee chitters in annoyance at that. "Oh, for... I hope you jollied him away from that idea."

Timothy nods. "I think so... I got him thinking about Byerly." T'kee shakes her head again. "Normally, I'd agree, but this is Costa Yermo we're talking about. You know they won't take her seriously." Alex nods quietly -- she thought that might be the case with any female sent. She wonders puzzledly, once again, why the don suggested sending her. Carroll frowns a little at this, but says nothing, only thinking, That doesn't bode well for Alex's long term success there. Sten is rather relieved to no longer be the topic anymore, and listens with a more genuine polite expression.

Horatio perks his ears. "If I may ask, erm... I'm sorry for interrupting, but... what is it about Lady Byerly that Costa Yermo wouldn't take seriously? Is it only because she is a female?"

Alex nods quietly to Horatio. She adds dryly, "They're... different there..."

A little chipmunk in a gray dress wanders over to stand beside Horatio. "Did I hear my name?" T'kee nods to her. "Yah. You don't want to be the envoy to Costa Yermo, do you?"

Alex grins at the bat's directness, then drops a polite curtsey to the chipmunk, "Guildmistress Byerly. Pleasure."

Horatio blinks and looks to the chipmunk. "Ah... Lady Byerly, I'm sorry, milady, I was, er, ah, asking..." He nods quickly to T'kee, shutting his mouth. Sten adds his own bow and courteous pleasantries.

The chipmunk returns Alex's curtsey. "Sir Alexandra. I've heard a great deal about you since I arrived." She finishes introductions and greetings around the circle. "What would I want to do that for? I doubt I could accomplish much."

Alex smiles at the... compliment? Hm... well, she'll take it as such. The guildmistress seems polite enough, after all... although Alex does wonder who it is doing all this talking about her -- and what are they saying?! She wishes she knew!

T'kee nods. "Even the Ha'Sheerans usually don't mess with their heads that badly." Alex covers a grin at that comment! Carroll thinks, Actually, it might suit Father just fine if the ambassador were ineffective. That way, the next logical step would be something more direct, the polite and political solution having proven fruitless. He gives his father an odd look, wondering, How sneaky are you being this time, Father? then, Or is it better if I don't know? That thought doesn't reassure him much. The conversation drifts off in the direction of other possibilities...

Last modified: 2001-Jun-23 11:37:35

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