flexibility

[calescent]

They leave Thiyec, cross Soche-Tas, and re-enter Welce.

Kiri sends a letter Jayce's way as soon as they stop in a Welchin town. It's brief - we found the Lalindar prime, we'll drop him off and my next stop is the palace so please forward my correspondence there.

The Lalindar house, on inspection, appears to be completely empty. There's a note from the butler on the dining room table stating - in appropriately formal language - that no one was paying them and so they have left, but he, the cook, the gardeners, and the maids may be contacted at the following addresses respectively if the new prime, when located, wishes to re-employ their services. Unlike the Ardelay house at the time of Elytte's death, this house as of Nerine's death contains no extended family. There's nothing to do but for Loel to move in. Kiri draws him a little map of the route between the estate and the nearest town, where he will probably want to buy groceries, and she and Aleko leave to let him plan his moat.

They're at the palace the following day.

Comments

[calescent]

"Okay. Sure, we can go to Malinqua if you can plan the search route and I can bring my twin brother."

[calendarofcrime]

"Of course," she says. "I, however, will leave my twin sister at home."

[calescent]

"As you like. I just bring Aleko with me most everywhere. Do you have passage booked, a schedule...?"

[calendarofcrime]

"Not yet. When would be convenient for you to leave? I will arrange it."

[calescent]

"I need to write two - no, three letters. One for the king, one for Alser - or his granddaughter Patience who's expected to succeed him, if he's not well enough to read it by the time it arrives - and one for my other brother who's managing my affairs in my absence. After that I can leave at any time, though I'd like at least one night in my nice comfy palace bed before traveling again."

[calendarofcrime]

"The soonest available passage no earlier than the day after tomorrow, then?"

[calescent]

"Yes. The sooner we can have a set of stable primes the better."

[calendarofcrime]

"Agreed. I'll let you know as soon as I have something booked. It was," she pauses, then smiles very slightly, "interesting to meet you."

[calescent]

"Likewise," remarks Kiri. "Oh - a question - I've historically found other primes more open to the idea of my mindreading than other people. My range is about five feet, a little more on a cold day; how carefully do you want me to mind your personal space?"

[calendarofcrime]

She considers this, then says, "I will mind it for you."

[calescent]

"I'm not sure what you mean by that, unless it's just that I should keep away from you but you might choose to approach me."

[calendarofcrime]

"You could interpret it that way, yes."

[calescent]

"...Okay. Do you know where to find my palace suite when you have an itinerary for us?"

[calendarofcrime]

"Yes."

[calescent]

"Okay. I'll see you later, then." And off Kiri goes, at the briskest safe walk, towards said palace suite to inform her twin and write some letters.

[calendarofcrime]

The next day, Sarelle Dochenza comes to Kiri's palace suite.

[liakoura]

Aleko answers the door. "Hi. Dochenza?" he guesses.

[calendarofcrime]

"Correct. Most people do not guess that on sight," she says.

[liakoura]

"Well, Kiri told me to expect somebody nowish of your approximate description who kind of screams ha ha no I cannot possibly be elay prime, so."

[calendarofcrime]

"I imagined the explanation might be along those lines."

[liakoura]

"Anyway, come in, I hear we're going to yet another country where the extent of my contribution is going to be 'I didn't understand that but I resent it anyway, sir!'?"

[calendarofcrime]

"Malinqua is likely to be an improvement on Soche-Tas in that regard," she says, entering on his invitation. "We have passage booked for tomorrow afternoon."

[liakoura]

"I think most places would have to be an improvement on Soche-Tas," snorts Aleko. "Okay, tomorrow afternoon, another day to fill up on palace food, good - Kiri, did you hear?"

[calescent]

"Yep, tomorrow afternoon," agrees Kiri from her desk. "What kind of boat are we on? Do we know anything about where we're going within Malinqua?"

[calendarofcrime]

"We know where her voyage landed, and I have a promising theory or two about where she would have gone from there," says Sarelle. "We are on a fast boat. I recommend you not overpack. We will be competing for space with a spice merchant's cargo and the cargo is likely to win any disputes."