PFSB

[herald_ingress]

 When Ingress stops by Bar today, there are no notes for her. She assumes the Reverend Daughter is well, or well enough, but she’ll check on her later, to make sure.

Right now, though, she’s getting one of those coffee drinks she likes. She’s knackered. It was a short circuit this time but a busy one, and she’s had less sleep than she prefers.

”Oh, and Bar, would you please put that caramel whipped cream stuff in? Thank you!”

Comments

[lightamidchaos]

He had seen her enter from across the common room, and has made his way close enough to hear by the time she makes her request.

"Mn."

He looks a little wary at the thought of caramel whipped cream, but shakes it off to add,

"Hello, Ingress."

[herald_ingress]

“Oh, hello, Lan Wangji. It’s good to see you. How are things with you?”

She eagerly reaches for the frothy drink once it appears.

[lightamidchaos]

"Very well," he says, as he pulls a small cloth-wrapped package from his sleeve and sets it on the bartop beside her.

"And with you?"

[herald_ingress]

“I’m a bit tired today, but it’s nothing that can’t be addressed by sleeping on an actual bed instead of the ground for a night or two.”

Her eyes flick down to the wrapped package and her face lights up. “Oh, what’s this? For me?”

[lightamidchaos]

"For you," he confirms. It had not seemed right, to provide Gideon - and through her, Harrow - with a gift and not do the same for Ingress.

"From Caiyi Town. In my world."

When she opens it, she will find a tassel in blue the color of her hair, with a carved-stone charm in the shape of a horse's head.

[herald_ingress]

She gazes at it in her palm, with a huge smile stretched across her face.

“It’s lovely. Oh, thank you so much for thinking of me. I’ll cherish it.”

[lightamidchaos]

"You are welcome."

"I thought to bring something. Now that I can."

[herald_ingress]

“Oh, yes, because you can move more freely now. I’m so glad things have improved in that regard.”

[lightamidchaos]

"I as well."

He places his hand flat on the bartop and murmurs a soft request, and receives a cup of coffee with milk, the same as he had on the night of Wei Ying's birthday.

"I wanted to ask. About planning the visit, to your Valdemar."

[herald_ingress]

“I’d love to plan that, yes,” she says, and while she’s smiling, she takes on a slightly sheepish expression. “And I promise - pinkie swear promise - that there will be no Atlantean there. Just plain wine, and a moderate amount at that.”

[lightamidchaos]

"I do not drink, but I do not mind if others do," he assures her. "Do not worry."

"How can I help? To plan?"

[herald_ingress]

“All right, I won’t worry; you’re very patient and kind.”

She cocks her head, thinking. “I’m not sure what you’d need to help with. If we pick a couple of time frames, I’ll speak with Savil and make sure Vanyel can be on the right side of the kingdom and then we’ll be set. I don’t think you’ll even need different clothes. What you wear usually will look out-kingdom but not glaringly so. Since you’ll be my guests and I’m well known for being out-kingdom myself, it will make sense.”

[lightamidchaos]

He nods.

"Can it be soon?"

If Ingress is listening carefully, she may hear the faintest thread of tension in his voice.

[herald_ingress]

“Of course,” she says, frowning because she definitely picks up on the tension. “Even if Vanyel can’t be there because of his duties, there will be other Bards and Mages to meet. I could, let’s see, I have a couple of days free immediately but then we’d need to go another week or so out.”

[lightamidchaos]

He shakes his head at that. Especially since part of the reason for the visit in the first place was to meet Vanyel, it would not make sense for them to plan a time when he was absent.

"No," he demurs. "Vanyel should be there."

At the sight of her frown, he sighs, very slightly.

"I do not want Wei Ying to grow bored with the inn," he admits. "That is all."

[herald_ingress]

“I’ll make sure he’s there then,” she assures him. “We won’t let Wei Wuxian get bored. Especially not with this trip and the venture to help Moiraine; he asked me if I could help get you back and forth, and I said of course.”

[lightamidchaos]

“I am glad to hear it,” he says. “Thank you, Ingress.”

[herald_ingress]

“You’re welcome! I’ve never gotten to escort people from world to world like Tom’s done. I don’t know if Wei Wuxian mentioned it or not, but Moiraine’s an old family friend of ours. So there’s that, too.”

[lightamidchaos]

“Tom mentioned something of the sort,” he says.

He still does not like the way she persisted in pursuing Wei Ying, but he is willing to concede that perhaps her intentions were good. He will continue to observe, and will be prepared to defend Wei Ying should there be even a hint of need.

[herald_ingress]

"It will be fun!" she chirps.

Um. So long as nothing terrible happens. Which is possible, sure, but if Moiraine is there, it will all be fine.

"Oh, another question for you about visiting Valdemar. Do either of you have experience with riding horseback? We have non-Companion horses, as well, you see."

[lightamidchaos]

“We have both ridden,” he assures her. “Be assured.”

[herald_ingress]

"Excellent! Megwyn suggested we all take a ride together, and I was hoping that would be possible."

[lightamidchaos]

“We would enjoy that,” he assures her. “I am looking forward to meeting your Companion.”

Considering that, he asks, “Does she have a proper title, for address? Is Companion preferred, or Lady, or...?”

[herald_ingress]

"How you address Bar would please her greatly. With the suffix that means 'lady'? She's not one for formalities, necessarily, but that would be lovely for her."

[lightamidchaos]

"Then I shall do so," he promises.

It seems appropriate, for a tianma.