milliways_bar | (no subject)

(no subject)

[Immediately previous, in the Dreaming. Conversation.]

The air by the bar kind of...moves.

And then there is an Aes Sedai and a gunslinger of Gilead.

Roland lets go of Moiraine's hand and looks around. SSDD.

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Silence.

"Did he."

Roland's smile is wide.

"He's well?"

"Trips over things."

River's cheerful face says that this is not actually of great concern.

"Gradual readjustment to sensory input." Beat. "He's fine."

"Good." Roland's voice is satisfied. "He's with Bernard and sai Tonks and the angel?"

She nods, earnestly.

"It's the way of things."

A moment's comfortable silence.

"Your brother is well?"

"Always talkin' to Kaylee."

That's a yes.

"You know -- Lilly said that she'd sent Kaylee to talk to him -- how did that go?"

River has the smug little sister look.

"Remedial lessons in communication."

Roland snorts. "It went well, then?"

Smug little sister look continues.

"Figured out their lines."

"About time."

Seriously.

"They take so much looking after."

Long-suffering. It's a hardship, really it is. Totally not teasing, of course not!

"I suppose they do, if Lilly had to intervene." Smiling at River.

Satisfied.

Laughter's dancing in her eyes.

"You haven't been to the Dreaming, have you."

River peers at him.

"She sleeps," she tries. "Fact of human existance."

"Yes. I mean -- while waking. As I was."

River's face dims, slightly.

But she doesn't sound upset, only matter-of-fact, when she says "There's no door. It doesn't function that way."

"No."

He studies her for a moment, then: "It's a fine place." Pause. "Think you'd like it."

Head tilt, watching him.

"The castle of the Dream-lord looks like the one I grew up in, in places."

A small smile.

Hopeful, maybe, or wistful. Or both.

She'd like to see it.

Roland wants her to see it.

Quietly: "No promises. But I'll speak to Moiraine, mayhap. When all this business is concluded. Would you like that?"

Smile widens, and warms.

She nods, and shoves her hair back absently.

"I don't know what the Garden will look like for you. It looks different for everyone." Pause. Slightly wry: "Joe brought his desert in with him."