(no subject)

[valiantrebel]

"We'll be married next I see thee," he'd said, after they'd kissed in private, one last time.

At which Kate's eyes had crinkled, as he was already loving to see them, and she'd smirked. "Unless, my lord, we happen to meet elsewhere."

That had been weeks ago, and though Harry has been as wildly happy as he's ever been in his life, ever since he and his father had left the Mortimers in Hereford, he'd found no door, no passage, and no Kate, for all he's entered every room with hope.

Perhaps because he is not thinking on it -- because Alnwick and Warkworth both are humming with preparations for Harry and his lady-to-be to take up residence and management at the latter -- because he is stuffed to the gills with tailors and bishops and letters to the king, he stops thinking of where he is going, only of escape.

Which is precisely when he steps through, realizes where he is, and beams—in hope.

Even if you aren't Elizabeth Mortimer, this is really an excellent time to meet him.

[[ooc: 4/28 11:25 p.m -- Heading to sleep soon, but this post is open until it scrolls!]]

Comments

[mr_gaeta]

The domesticated dodo, it turns out, likes marshmallows as an occasional treat.

And Gaeta's domesticated dodo in particular really likes them.

So that accounts for how he's awkwardly trying to wrestle a bag of them under one arm, keep his crutches in place, and balance on his one remaining leg while hobbling away from Bar. When the door opens and shuts, he looks up automatically in the hope that it's Louis. No such luck.

(The guy standing there looks pretty damn pleased to be at Milliways, though.)

[valiantrebel]

There's -- really not much to be done about the fact that Harry notices the man's missing leg and the pet -- bird? at the same time, and immediately focuses on the bird. The missing leg doesn't faze him. The bird, on the other hand?

"God's me, what creature is this?"

Delight.

[mr_gaeta]

The bird, which has been straining upward in its effort to beg for treats, snaps to attention when it hears an unfamiliar voice directed its way. Feathers ruffling, it waddles around to face the new person.

"Oh, ah -- " Gaeta readjusts his hold on the marshmallows again; his mouth quirks in a faint smile. "It's a dodo."

[valiantrebel]

"How's that? A dodo?"

Do vowels make those shapes in space?

Since Harry's first reaction to just about everything can basically be summed up as puppy!, he puts his hands on his knees and half-crouches to look the beast in the eye.

[mr_gaeta]

"Plock," it says, cocking its head to study Harry in kind. After a second, it stretches forward a little to try and nudge him with its beak.

Maybe he has marshmallows!

"It's a type of bird from Earth," says Gaeta. "I think in some worlds it went extinct about four hundred years ago, but...apparently there are worlds where it got domesticated instead."

[valiantrebel]

Harry grins and reaches to skritch its neck behind its head. There isn't a creature in the world that doesn't enjoy a good skritch.

"God laughed with the devil when he made thee in the Garden," he says approvingly to the dodo.

[mr_gaeta]

Gaeta only has the vaguest sense of what that might mean, but the man's tone makes it clear that it's a compliment.

The dodo's in a similar boat: it doesn't know what he said, but boy those scritches are good. It lets out a fluttering noise that sounds like a deeper, throatier cousin of a pigeon's coo, eyes half-closing in bliss.

He has to laugh a little at that. "Should have tried that before it made me come all the way out here for marshmallows."

[valiantrebel]

"What-mallows?" He peers at the fellow's bag of... puffy white things. "He eats those in the wild, does he?"

Harry has had wolfhounds all his life. He is the sucker who will pet a dog for half an hour and love it. And the feathers aren't at all like a falcon's or a hawk's; they're much softer, fluffier. They two are a match made in heaven.

[mr_gaeta]

"Marshmallows," he clarifies. "And...no, mostly they eat fruits, nuts, and seeds."

If he sounds a bit like he swallowed an encyclopedia entry, it's probably because he all but memorized the dodo care guide Claudia found for him.

"But marshmallows are good for occasional treats. Like dog biscuits."

[valiantrebel]

They don't have those either, in Harry's time, but he can guess. His mouth twists wryly.

"Does he have a name?"

He? She? He's never sexed a dodo before.

"Come to think of it, your pardon -- do you?"

[mr_gaeta]

"It's name's Gogo." Beat; a little sheepish, "I'm still not sure if it's a he or a she. I think he, but it'd involve comparing sizes with another dodo I know the gender of and -- "

Aware that he's starting to ramble, he cuts himself off.

"Anyway. I'm Felix Gaeta."

...yeah, it's still not any easier to stop the lieutenant prefix before it forms.

[valiantrebel]

"A fine name that does credit to the flock, I'm sure of it."

He means Gogo. When Gaeta introduces himself, he rises and nods.

"Harry Percy."

He gives Gaeta another look, and doesn't hide it. Harry's been growing into being a soldier his entire life, and he looks it: broad-shouldered, sharp-eyed, casually powerful.

He's been a soldier long enough to know there's something about soldiers that can never be put away.

[mr_gaeta]

"Pleasure."

The scrutiny of that look -- and the way Harry stands -- does nothing to disavow the assumption: Gaeta can feel his back pulling straighter like a reflex, as if just being in the same room as another soldier can work old muscles into shape again. It doesn't look anything like how he used to stand before...well, before everything. But it's enough.

"May I ask where you're from, sir?"

[will_scarlett]

Will is sitting at a table with the remains of a delicious dinner of fish and chips as he makes some repairs on his jerkin,

"Ye look 'appy, milord."

[valiantrebel]

"Should I not be so, Master Scarlett?" He grins and swaggers strolls over to the table. "Is happiness so outlandish upon me?"

[will_scarlett]

"Nay, ye should be, milord. May I ask the cause o'it?"

There's a healing cut on his lip as the weather has improved in Sherwood.

[valiantrebel]

"Only that I might see my Lady Elizabeth here." Will gets a not-at-all concealed hopeful glance. "Have you seen her since we last came together? It is weeks since I have had word of her!"

[will_scarlett]

"I havena, milord. She would shine out 'ere,"

Few women of their eras enter Milliways and Lady Elizabeth is like Lady Marian, she draws eyes to her.

[valiantrebel]

Harry sighs and looks away. It's not that he doesn't believe Will, it's just that he has to scan the bar himself on principle.

"Well, we must keep our eye out for her. And thee, Will, how'rt thou?"

[will_scarlett]

"Prosperin', milord, Spring is startin' to appear in Sherwood along with those wishin' for a fight,"

His top lip is healing from being split during one.

[valiantrebel]

"And thou'rt beating them back bravely and boldly, I see." As if Robin Hood's men would do otherwise! "Though I must of course condemn any acts which thwart the king, anointed or no, I'll confess I'd hear more of more of them."

:-D?

[will_scarlett]

"Aye, aye, course ye must, milord. Tis the time when come tryin' to challenge us, we give 'em a choice o'who they fight. This one chose fightin' 'gainst me with the staff, 'e lost."

[valiantrebel]

Harry snorts. "I suppose you fought left-handed too."

[will_scarlett]

"Nay, was all fair. 'e just wasna quick 'nough,"

Growing up as a thief was useful for Will's reflexes.

[valiantrebel]

"I was quick enough," somewhere between teasing and smug.

At least for some rounds he was quick enough.