milliways_bar | (no subject)

Derry is... elsewhere. That'll get figured out later.

Edmund, meanwhile, smiles.

"Alex! It's lovely to see you downstairs again. I'd been wanting to tell you something, but hadn't wanted to intrude."

He looks up and smiles.

"Oh, hello. I've been... a little distracted, yes."

"Yes, I can... understand how that can be."

He takes a sip of his own tea, and is smiling again when his cup is lowered.

"I'd something to tell you, as I said - you do recall I'd offered to ask Miss Susan Delgado if there were horses to loan in the stables, yes?"

He nods, sipping his tea.

"Yes, I remember."

"Well, I got a chance to ask her, is all."

"And does she have a spare horse? I'm more than willing to pay for any upkeep required, if so."

He chuckles.

"I'm sure if anything she'd rather have you out there helping than paying, but most of the horses are privately owned, as it happens. As long as you don't plan to try to ride the baby pegasus, however, it would seem that most of the owners are more than willing to allow others to ride."

"A... baby... pegasus."

He considers that for a moment, blinking.

"...I see. No, I'm fairly certain I have no plans to attempt to ride a baby pegasus."

He grins.

"No, I'd rather thought you might not. In the meantime, though... would you like to come out to the stables just now, see if there are any horses you might like? Baby pegasi aside, of course."

He puts down his cup and nods.

"Certainly. It's been a while since I've been outside, it'll be nice to get some fresh air. And I miss horses."

"Now's fine, then? Good. I've not had a chance to check on Rachât today, myself."

He leaves his cup on Alex's table as well, and leads the way out to the stables.

"Go ahead and look around, then? I'll be in his stall." And he suits action to words.

He nods and starts to move around the stables, offering the horses his palm to get his scent.

And then, after a few moments, he stops in front of one stall, and is silent, staring.

And Faith drops down from the rafters, standing next to him.

"Hello, Gluestick," she greets the horse, with perhaps a little more fondness than she would usually address a horse with.

This is followed by a much warmer "Hey, Alex," and she leans against the horse's stall, swatting absently at Ghost as he starts sniffing her. "Interesting horse you've got here."

Alex is still staaaaaaaaaaaaring.

Devil's own temper, that one. *Alanna pokes her head out of a nearby stall and folds both arms on top of the door. She is positively beaming.* Beautiful, though. You always did have good taste in horses.

Alex.... is still staring.

Ghost is displeased at the lack of attention, and pushes his head at Alex's shoulder. Hard.

Edmund wanders back over, absently tossing an apple from hand to hand, and then holds it out to Alex.

"Found one you like, then? He's lovely, really. New addition to the stables, just the other day, from what I hear. Bit of a trip to get him here."

Faith looks the horse over, casually. "He's all right, I s'pose. Horses...not generally my thing. And he bit me, didn't you, you monster?"

But it's said, once again, almost affectionately. Faith appreciates violence.

"And the trip wasn't bad at all. Getting him through the door...that was the hard part."

"You..."

...he appears to be mostly speechless.

*Eyes shining, Alanna simply smiles and winks at Edmund. The apple looks good.*

He chuckles, and tosses Alanna the apple, as Alex seems... distracted, somehow.

"The door, Faith? From what you said, it was the stairs that caused the problem."

Faith snorts.

"Only 'cause he's so wide. I mean, have you ever tried to fit a horse through a door? Carrying his weight wasn't the problem, it was making him fit without hurting either of us."

Then she grins, pointing at Alex. "Worth it for that expression though."

Alex is still staring. And has a Ghost pushing at his shoulder, since it has been several months since he saw his master.

...Nick?

Blur...

And there's a Nick by his side, suddenly blinking at the utter lack of danger, darkness, or other things he'd expect from sush a shocked call.

"Ale--"

And then he's looking at the fine piece of horseflesh.

"Ghost, I presume?"

He's smiling.

*Chewing quietly on the apple Edmund so thoughtfully provided for her, Alanna lets her gaze run over Nick. She hasn't seen him since Faith explained what had happened, and she finds herself infuriated at his tormentors all over again. Swallowing with some difficulty, she smiles at both of them.*

Hello, Nick.

*Annoyed that she's not sharing, Mithros snorts in Alanna's ear.*

Shhh! So greedy. Here, have the rest. Faith, don't be so modest. You carried them down the stairs. That was much more impressive than squeezing them through the door. I swear the thieves at the Dove will never recover.