milliways_bar | (no subject)

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It's been almost four months, in Ambergeldar, since Amy came into the bar. Four rather tiring months, really, spent criss-crossing the country so she could be introduced to a populace. But that all ended last week, in early October, almost two months early, and she's back, looking about for her friends.

The slight curve to her stomach could be the result of the fashion of her dress, or even a trick of the light. But given the way she's smiling . . . it's probably not.

Amy is back. And she has News.

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"Home. We were supposed to be away until late November, but we came back in early October. I suspect I'd have been fine, but I was so tired of traveling at that point that I didn't object when they decided the Queen needed her Rest."

A grin.

"Which may come back to haunt me for the next five."

Cimorene raises an eyebrow. "That's a long tour. I'm surprised you made it through four months of it."

She grins, "But I have no doubt that you will continue to scandalize them with your outrageous ideas of what pregnant queens should be allowed to do. Councilors were born to be scandalized."

"There were a lot noblemen anxious to play host -- and try to out do the previous nobleman who hosted us. I think without that, the whole thing could have been done in a month."

A grin.

"Most likely. I think I'll probably scandalize them even when I'm not pregnant."

"I should hope so. I'd be dreadfully disappointed if you didn't scandalize them. Oh, not for the sake of scandal, of course, but sometimes it just seems to go with the territory."

She grins, "Mendanbar's whole staff is quite used to being scandalized by now, and they've rather come to expect it from him, I think. And his steward tries so hard to keep things proper."

Poor Willin.

"His whole twenty-three person staff?"

Amy grins.

"That seems like a remarkably few people to be running a castle. I suppose the magic helps, though."

"All twenty-three of them," laughs Cimorene. "I think the magic does help. You need rather fewer footmen when you can just snap your fingers and make something appear. Also, he hasn't any family living there, nor does he have guests particularly often, I think, which lightens the workload considerably."

She smiles, "Actually, I think they all rather like it."

"Well, I have to approve of any castle in which the staff is happy," says Amy.

"How long will you be staying with him?"

"I'm not sure precisely," says Cimorene with a shrug. "It all depends on how well Kazul feels really. Probably a fortnight or so. She doesn't have anything terribly drastic to deal with at home right now, so we're not in any rush."

"Plus it gives the twenty-three of them a challenge, which at least is not boring."

She raises an eyebrow.

"You're not making too much work for any kitchen maids are you?"

"We probably are," she admits a little sheepishly. "Very few castles are prepared for dragon-sized appetites. I've been spending a great deal of time in the kitchen, actually, helping them adapt their recipes. I'm trying to be as useful as possible, though I think some of the younger kitchen maids might still be afraid that Kazul is going to eat them."

It's not a completely irrational fear, but it would be very highly unlikely.

. . .

"And is that likely to happen?"

As a former kitchen maid with former dragon issues, Amy has to ask.

"No! Of course not!"

Cimorene frowns. "Dragons don't just go around eating people willy-nilly you know. And certainly not friends. Or their staffs."

Wizards, of course, are another matter.

"Just making sure," says Amy.

"Do they ever eat people in a calm rational planned sort of way?"

"Only wizards," Cimorene reassures her.

Because that's totally reassuring.

Amy considers at least one wizard a close personal friend.

But he's a good wizard!

. . . at least in this reality.

"Ah."

"Only evil wizards?" Cimorene rephrases, because Amy does not look reassured.

"They don't eat wizards just for being wizards," she says, trying again. "The last wizard Kazul ate had imprisoned her in that glowing magical bubble and threatened to feed her dragonsbane."

"Oh. Well, I'm still not sure I can quite approve of eating anyone, but if you must eat someone, I suppose evil wizards who lock you in a glowing magic bubble and try to feed you toxic plants are the logical choice."

It's the best she can do.

It's very good of her to be so understanding.

"It's a little hard to approve of it when you've seen it happening," says Cimorene with a grimace. "But dragons aren't human, and have different rules, and you learn not to judge."

She tries.

"Just so long as she doesn't make any princesses get married," says Amy.

Because she might get over the whole eating wizards thing, but certain things are inexcusable.

Exactly.

"Do you think I would be there if she were trying to marry me off?" asks Cimorene with a grin. "Dragons don't really care about such things, luckily."

"Well, no. But I'm just making sure."

Because these things have to be checked on.

They do. That's what friends are for.

"Well, you needn't be worried on my account," says Cimorene laughing. "We treat our princesses very well in the Mountains of Morning. Even the silly ones."

"Good. Because I'm sure most of them are at least a little silly. And I'm glad to not have to worry on your account."

"Most of them," Cimorene agrees, "To varying degrees. But they're usually nice girls."

Usually.

"They get rescued the day they want to, and not before, though I must confess, I'm usually the only one with that particular complaint. And with Mendanbar's sword lessons, perhaps I won't have to deal with it much more after all."

"Yes, well, I'm sure Mendanbar will do everything he can to keep you from marrying a stuffy humorless prince."

So teasing.