swiftness

[calescent]

Sarelle and the Ardelay twins go to their inn. They are greeted there the following day by Ekador apparently-Serlast, who says he'll be another two days settling up his affairs and then they can all go to Welce.

Ekador packs quite lightly for someone who's leaving the country on short notice and otherwise bears negligible personality resemblance to Loel. The carriage isn't particularly crowded as they make their way back to the port to find a boat leading back to Welce.

"There are three stops to make," Kiri tells him as they drive. "Although we'll land close to Chialto, I don't think that should be the first place we go. You'll have a much smoother go of taking over as uncontested prime if you can demonstrate at least minor magical power on demand - I don't think fielding questions of your legitimacy is anyone's idea of a good time and it would be better to have more than Sarelle's word to lean on. It doesn't help that anyone but her will mistake you for sweela. The Serlast estate is a couple of days by carriage from Chialto, there's a forest on the property, it's supposed to be special to the Serlasts, and going and having a walk around it might give you an idea of how to perform some minor visible magic."

"Might not. Loel figured out how to do magic without jumping into the Marisi River," shrugs Aleko.

"It might not. But it's worth a try if you don't have an epiphany before we get there," says Kiri. "Anyway, some of your cousins are living at the Serlast estate - off the top of my head, one of Valdin's children, his younger sister, and one of his grandsons, but I don't know how you're related to the family so I don't know who they are to you. You can kick them out if you want, but I recommend getting to know them and soliciting their help with the family business, and you have plenty of room to continue to board them. The Chialto house of the Serlasts was empty last I heard, but I'd be willing to bet you can re-hire Valdin's old servants if you want them, and you're entitled to maintain your own suite at the palace, too. You can divide your time between these places more or less however you please, although if you neglect the palace then the royal family may start issuing pointed invitations, and you might want to become acquainted with Prince Isten in particular, as he is heir to the throne and it's his succession you're necessary to ratify later."

"Isten's eleven," Aleko adds. "Coru, quiet."

"Questions?" Kiri inquires. "Do you want me to write any of that down, possibly in chart format?"

Comments

[pyrophyte]

He nods.

[calescent]

After they arrive at port, return the carriage and its horses, with surprisingly little ado book passage on a vessel bearing assorted fabric, set out, become seasick (Aleko only), and arrive in Chialto some days later -

the first thing Kiri does is drop off a letter written en route for Jayce updating him on her endeavors and itinerary, but the second thing she does is look for a temple.

[calendarofcrime]

Sarelle accompanies them at least that far.

She also directs them with minimal fuss to the nearest temple.

[calescent]

"So, this is a fairly typical Welchin temple," Kiri tells Ekador as they enter. "Color-coded pews so you can meditate on whatever element in a color-coded environment, for some reason, and the bin of blessings up front. We can all four draw for each other."

[liakoura]

"Pity Jayce isn't here, he draws good blessings."

[calendarofcrime]

"I have been known to do the same," says Sarelle.

[liakoura]

"Yeah, seems to be an elay thing. You wanna go first?"

[calendarofcrime]

"All right," she says agreeably.

She draws patience for Aleko, persistence for Kiri, and flexibility for Ekador.

[pyrophyte]

Ekador peers thoughtfully at his coin and doesn't volunteer to draw next.

[liakoura]

Aleko reaches into the bin. He hands Kiri a creativity, Ekador a surprise, and Sarelle a patience.

[calendarofcrime]

"I predict I will be spending time with my sister in the near future," says Sarelle. "My patience is considerable, but the blessings don't tend to remind me of that fact unless I am about to need it."

[calescent]

Kiri chuckles and reaches for blessings. She draws Sarelle a grace - "That's how you can tell I'm not drawing for myself!" - and Ekador a change and Aleko a charm.

[pyrophyte]

"Change and surprise," says Ekador. "And flexibility. Well, that's not difficult to interpret. I suppose that makes it my turn?"

The procedure doesn't seem complicated. He draws loyalty and hands it to Aleko, and resilience and hands it to Kiri, and another loyalty for Sarelle.

[calescent]

Kiri lines up all her coins in her hand, nods at them, and then puts them back. "So that's pretty much what it's like. You can draw alone, too, it's just more fun this way."

[liakoura]

"You didn't get any of that luck you wanted."

[calescent]

"I did not. Oh well."

[pyrophyte]

Ekador returns his coins too.

"Well, that was interesting," he says.

[liakoura]

"Are we getting our actual horses and our actual carriage from where it's stashed at the palace or renting?" Aleko asks Kiri. "I like our actual horses. I'm never sure rental ones aren't going to kick me."

[calescent]

"You could go get everything and pick us up," says Kiri. "I suppose we could wait here, or it's not that huge a walk to the Ardelay house."

[calendarofcrime]

"I will part ways with you here, I think," says Sarelle. "Off to see what Tia has done or is about to do that will require my patience."

[calescent]

"Good luck."

[liakoura]

"Right, I'll go get our carriage, back in twenty minutes. Fifteen if the competent stable kid is working today."

[calescent]

"Do you want to wait here or at my house?" Kiri asks Ekador.

[pyrophyte]

"Your house seems likely to be more comfortable."

[calescent]

"All right. Meet you there, Aleko," she calls after her departing brother, who waves at her over his shoulder. "This way." She leads Ekador out of the temple and hangs a left. "Your house is on practically the other side of the city. Near a park. Mine's more centrally located."

It's a ten-minute stroll through Chialto. Kiri is recognized twice, and waves but doesn't stop to chat, and has more trouble keeping away from people without Aleko helping but manages it with only one incidence of stumbling into a shop window. Eventually they reach the Chialto Ardelay house.

"Here we are." She unlocks the door and lets him into the kierten.